Anti-mining Brazilian militants arrested in Zimbabwe
Today, November 10, 2017, three comrades were arrested in Zimbabwe: Frei Rodrigo Peret, a militant of the Pastoral Land Commission of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais state, Maria Julia Gomes Andrade and Jarbas Vieira, the later two members of the Movement of People Affected by Mining (MAM) and members of the secretariat of the Committee in Defence of the Territories Facing Mining.
There are unconfirmed reports that other foreigners are also detained. They are being held at the central police station in the town of Mutare, which lies 270 kilometers from the capital, Harare, on the border with Mozambique.
The reason for the arrests remains unclear, but they were arrested while visiting a diamond mining region. The group, which includes at least two other Brazilian women, participated in a community meeting – an action of dialogue of the peoples.
The Brazilian embassy in Zimbabwe has been alerted, and is in contact with local police to gather more information. The Human Rights Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brasilia is also following the case. The head of the Africa Department of that ministry has also been notified.
There is great concern with the situation of political instability in Zimbabwe. Several organizations and militants are mobilizing their networks to provide support and solidarity to their peers and the whole group.
Movimento pela Soberania Popular na Mineração/ Movement for Popular Sovereignty in Mining (MAM)
Global Witness report linking Zimbabwe’s state and partisan security forces to a decade of disappearing diamond wealth.
