Harare, Zimbabwe – When Henrietta Rushwaya was arrested at Robert Mugabe International Airport in October for alleged gold smuggling, the news was shocking but not the purported crime.
The 56-year-old head of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation and former president of the country’s football body was preparing to board a flight to Dubai when authorities found six gold bars worth an estimated $366,000 in her carry-on luggage.
Rushwaya, who denies the charges against her, has not been granted bail and is waiting for a trial date to be set.
It is a spectacular scandal – one involving a powerful figure that only served to reinforce the widespread belief that Zimbabwe’s ruling elite and politically connected help themselves to the nation’s natural resources – especially gold – with near impunity.
By Leopold Munhende
A report by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has revealed how some soldiers and police officers on duty are in the habit of cordoning off the Marange Diamond Fields and abusing women.
The report claims the security forces were also in the habit of betting on who gets to rape which woman in the area.
The research paper titled; “Power and Politics: Extractives and Violence against Women in Zimbabwe” seeks to bring to the fore, matters involving abuse of women in the diamond rich Marange and other mining areas.
It traces the history of violence from between 2005 and 2008 when artisanal diamond mining was allowed, and 2009 when government moved in to take over all mining claims by deploying state security agencies to disperse the local miners.
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A shocking report by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has how revealed soldiers and police officers on duty to cordon off the Marange Diamond Fields are in the habit of abusing women.
The report claims the security forces were also in the habit of betting on who gets to rape which woman in the area.
The research paper titled; “Power and Politics: Extractives and Violence against Women in Zimbabwe” seeks to bring to the fore matters involving abuse of women in the diamond rich Marange and other mining areas.
It traces the history of violence from between 2005 and 2008 when artisanal diamond mining was allowed, and 2009 when government moved in to take over all mining claims by deploying state security agencies to disperse the local miners.
WHEN Henrietta Rushwaya was arrested at Robert Mugabe International Airport in October for alleged gold smuggling, the news was shocking but not the purported crime.
The 56-year-old head of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation and former president of the country’s football body was preparing to board a flight to Dubai when authorities found six gold bars worth an estimated $366,000 in her carry-on luggage.
Rushwaya, who denies the charges against her, has not been granted bail and is waiting for a trial date to be set.
It is a spectacular scandal – one involving a powerful figure that only served to reinforce the widespread belief that Zimbabwe’s ruling elite and politically connected help themselves to the nation’s natural resources – especially gold – with near impunity.
Spring 2021 Earth Institute Internships
The Earth Institute is offering undergraduate, graduate and PhD students opportunities to intern in various departments and research centers in a variety of administration, communications and research roles. Interns work on a variety of sustainability-focused projects across the Earth Institute. These projects provide interns with hands-on workplace experience, allowing them to grow professionally while the Earth Institute centers benefit from their meaningful contributions.
All full-time Columbia and Barnard students are eligible to apply for internships. These internships are funded at a rate of $17 per hour (a maximum of 120 hours during the semester).
All positions will take place remotely.