35
16.5 Written testimonies and hospital records
While the BBC was in Zimbabwe, the crew collected 53 written testimonies in addition to the
testimonies of those who had talked to them. They also collected hospital records - 250 entries
listing page after page of dog bites, rapes, beatings and killings. 151
When they organised them into date order, a disturbing pattern emerged. Gunshots showed up
clearly in the main period of the operation, as well as dog bites. Not only were the wounds strikingly
similar, but many of the victims said they had been forbidden to receive medical attention. 152
“This wasn’t a legitimate police exercise to flush out illegal panners, this was a full-scale military
operation against civilians; and our evidence clearly shows that its aim was to maim and kill,” the
BBC’s Hilary Andersson concluded. 153
16.6 Response from Mines Minister Obert Mpofu
Mines Minister Obert Mpofu told Agence France-Presse the claims were ‘nonsense’ and that “the
allegations were based on false information intended to prevent the country benefiting from its
diamond sales”. 154
16.7 Response from the Kimberley Process
Asked by the BBC if the Kimberley Process (KP) was formally aware that there are torture camps
open and operating in the Marange area, Nick Westcott, spokesperson for the working group on
monitoring for the KP said, “No, it is not something that has been notified to the KP.” 155
“How is it that journalists know more than KP about the human rights situation on the ground in
Zimbabwe?” Hilary Andersson asked. 156
“We don’t have a huge secretariat to go out and investigate. We have to operate on the basis of
evidence brought together by members,” he replied. 157
151
BBC Panorama, ‘Diamond field: Zimbabwe torture camp discovered’, (notes from script) 8 August
2011:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14377215
152
BBC Panorama, ‘Diamond field: Zimbabwe torture camp discovered’, (notes from script) 8 August 2011:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14377215
153
BBC Panorama, ‘Diamond field: Zimbabwe torture camp discovered’, (notes from script) 8 August 2011:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14377215
154
BBC Panorama, Marange diamonds: ‘Zim denies torture camp’, 9 August 2011:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14468116#story_continues_1
155
BBC Panorama, ‘Diamond field: Zimbabwe torture camp discovered’, (notes from script) 8 August 2011:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14377215
156
BBC Panorama, ‘Diamond field: Zimbabwe torture camp discovered’, (notes from script) 8 August 2011:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14377215
Select target paragraph3
Add to table of contents