Buhera, Zimbabwe – Chinese miners in Zimbabwe have desecrated more than 10 000 graves in communities as they dig for gold, lithium and other minerals, a rights activist Farai Maguwu has said.
Posting on his X handle Maguwu, the executive director of Centre for Natural Resource Governance said the Chinese are exhuming remains at graves and’dumping them’ to pave way for their mining operations.
”In Zimbabwe, even the dead have no rest. These were laid to rest with love and care in Buhera by hundreds of people, but exhumed by the Chinese (Sabi Star) using excavators & dumped here. Since this mining madness started, more than 10,000 graves have been desecrated countrywide,” Maguwu said.
”Can a Zimbabwean do this in China and come out alive? But why does our “patriotic” government do this to our departed loved ones? Doesn’t this attract curses zvekutoshaya door musiwo wakavhurika…hurombo hunosemesa munyika izere nepfuma?”
In their thousands Chinese nationals have been engaging in mining activities in different provinces digging for chrome, gold, coal, lithium among many other minerals.
Zimbabweans have accused the Chinese of looting the country’s natural resources and taking profits to China.
The Chinese have also been accused of unfair labour practices and beating locals at work stations. Videos of fist fights between Chinese employers and locals are awash on social media.
Some Chinese have shot and killed Zimbabweans at mining operations resulting in people criticizing the Asians of abuse.
The Chinese embassy in Harare recently issued a warning to it’s nationals that they should act according to the laws of Zimbabwe.
However, locals view Chinese as above the law.
Harare and Beijing maintain strong bilateral relations over the years.