Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

NewThinkingChance40

(289 posts)
Sat Aug 3, 2013, 11:03 PM Aug 2013

Diamonds ensure Mugabe is forever

This makes U.S. elections look clean:

THE president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, used $850m of diamond money to rig the country's elections, intelligence documents obtained by The Sunday Times reveal.

The documents, dated June 3, detail how Chinese and Zimbabwean diamond companies pumped cash into a war chest used by Mugabe to manipulate the results of the election and intimidate the population.

As Zimbabweans prepared for another five years of autocratic rule after the country's electoral commission announced that Mugabe had won the presidential elections with 61 per cent of the vote.

The classified documents reveal how Mugabe's Zanu-PF party received $800m from two diamond mining companies controlled by Chinese investors and senior military commanders in the Zimbabwean army, police and intelligence services. Joseph Kabila, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, allegedly gave $85m and the government of Equatorial Guinea gave $92m to the slush fund.



http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/diamonds-ensure-mugabe-is-forever/story-fnb64oi6-1226690905128
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Diamonds ensure Mugabe is...