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GoldMafia 4 Implications
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- Written by: ZHRO, ZEMeta, Z-exit, Take2Zimbabwe and Al Jazeera
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Contents
- Clean Gold? There’s no such thing.
- The Currency of Money Launderers.
- ‘Gold Mafia is Bigger than the government’ {of Zimbabwe}.
- ‘Always have the King with You’
- Dubai, the El Dorado for Gold Smugglers.
- Banks and Bribes.
- USA and Anti-Money Laundering {AML} Consequences.
- Conclusions.
- Citizens Reactions and Comments.
The 6 key takeaways from the Al Jazeera Investigations, the USA imposition of KYC {Know Your Customer} for their AML {Anti-Money Laundering} Legislation regarding the ‘sanctity’ of the US Dollar and its usage overseas. |
14th April 2023
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Here are six key takeaways from #GoldMafia
Clean Gold? There’s no such thing
No matter where you buy your gold and regardless of the country’s stamp on it, the very nature of the gold trade makes it extremely difficult to guarantee where it originated from.
The investigation showed how gold smuggled from Zimbabwe makes its way to Dubai and, according to experts in money laundering and illicit trade, is then exported to other major gold hubs like Switzerland and London.
These transfers are possible because gold is melted and refined repeatedly, a process that obfuscates all traces of its origin, making it particularly difficult for law enforcement agencies to build evidence against suspected smugglers.
This also means it is hard to be certain if gold purchased on the open market is ethically and legally clean or whether it is free of laundering and crime. A watch might have been made with gold from a conflict region, or a bar of gold may have been mixed with smuggled gold.
Amjad Rihan, a former partner at the consulting firm Ernst & Young, was responsible for auditing Dubai-based Kaloti a decade ago when it was one of the largest gold refineries in the world. He was blunt in his assessment. “Gold that comes to refiners, once it’s refined, it’s practically brand new gold,” he told Al Jazeera.
Zanu PF Fools Day
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- Written by: John C Burke
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Lovingly entitled, "Zanu PF Fool's Day"; the 1st April 2023 at the Zimbabwe Embassy was the initiation of the campaign to expose the criminality at the heart of the Zanu PF regime. The Zanu PF regime has held Zimbabwe, as a nation "hostage" for far too long - 43 years this April 18th in fact. [Full image log on ZHRO Flickr CLICK HERE ]
Those brave few present, coming from as far away as Manchester, Coventry, Northampton, Gosport and Littlehampton, were there to "represent" all Zimbabweans who have been utterly disenfranchised by the Zanu PF regime back in Zimbabwe. That's not to say that many more within the UK diaspora should have been present - and the 18th April 2023 Demonstration {at the Embassy} and Petition {to 10 Downing Street, home of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak} will prove the depth for feeling personified by #GoldMafia and other criminality by the regime.
The numbers attending will always be a big factor when presenting a proposal and petition to the British - they are very much 'swayed' by the numbers - as they perceive "Voter Recognition" of an event or situation, that must be acted upon. The same is very true for pushing for democratic and humanitarian action to be promoted by the British within their sphere of influence, at both the UK Embassy in Harare AND on the International Stage. Here in the United Kingdom the Zimbabwean Diaspora has huge potential to assist those trapped by the regime in Zimbabwe. It is up to the diaspora to stand up and be counter {as the expression goes} and in this case literally too!
In November 2017 - the 18th November in fact: CLICK HERE to remember that day, the Hopes and Dreams for a Democratic Zimbabwe were Born - but now those dreams are left in tatters, as the nightmare began on that day inside the regimes psychotic imagination. Fast forward to March 2023 and the pre-launch of the Gold Mafia {at that time without a title - but certainly about corruption} many were apprehensive, most about an expose, but within the regime -'concern'.
Gold Mafia OUT
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- Written by: John Burke, Take2Zimbabwe and Zim Vigil
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As ZHRO/Zexit/Take2Zimbabwe/ZEMeta and CCC-Diaspora, we have added all four parts of this damning exposition regarding money laundering to the extent of USD $1 billion and Gold Smuggling by the creation of a link to the ZHRO YouTube Platform called "ZHRO - Crime Report" CLICK HERE
We are now planning demonstrations, further petitions and other campaigns to bring the crimes of the Zanu PF 'regime' in Zimbabwe to the greater public attention, for the express benefit of the Nation and Citizens of Zimbabwe.
- Part One released 23rd March 2023 {View part 1 of 4 here at this link}
- Part Two released 30th March 2023 {View part 2 of 4 here at this link}
- Part Three released 6th April 2023 {View part 3 of 4 here at this link}
- Part Four released 14th April 2023 {View part 4 of 4 here at this link}
Background: It mainly started in 2021, however endemic corruption and ruthless exploitation of the wealth of the natural resources of Zimbabwe has been going on for DECADES! Probably back to the {So Called} Independence on 18th April 1980!
However in 2021 the new President {after a military coup to replace Mugabe in 2017 and a rigged election in 2018 and European Union Assessment of the 2018 Elections}, was slated to visit the United Kingdom {under the auspices of the United Nations} for the Climate conference COP26 - Oct-Nov 2021. As ZHRO, ZAPU, ROHR and the then MDC(A) {now re-branded as CCC} we took our demonstration, firstly to the door of 10 Downing Street with a petition to {Boris Johnson} and also to the COP26 conference itself in Glasgow on the 1st and 2nd November 2021.
Even then we {ZHRO and VUKA} had created the banner stating "ZANU PF MUST GO" and ROHR had created "The Face Behind- Corruption etc" We all knew that Zimbabwe was being {and had been} plundered for her natural resources - for the exclusive benefit to the Zanu PF "elite" - including the arch criminal President Mnangagwa himself READ OUR OCTOBER 2021 PETITION HERE - we did not want Mnangagwa to enter the United Kingdom under any circumstances.
We had reminded the UK Government, that Mnangagwa was head of security under the 1983-87 Gukhurundi genocide {petition in July 2018 for that issue} and as the "Chief Strategist" as named by the Untied Nations in their 2002 report regarding the wholesale looting of diamonds from the DR Congo! It's not as if this was all news to the British Government.
Bad governance, not drought
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- Written by: Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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Bad governance, not drought, causing hunger in Zimbabwe!
It can not be denied that the 2023/24 agricultural season is one of the worst in Zimbabwe. This is largely due to the frighteningly low rainfall experienced as a direct result of the El Niño weather pattern that has affected most parts of the southern African region. It is a painful sight watching the miserable dry shriveled crops in most fields throughout the country.As a result, according to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), an estimated 3.5 million Zimbabweans, mostly in rural areas, are facing acute food insecurity this year.
The government of Zimbabwe is already in panic mode, seeking food assistance from several partners to help circumvent any potential disaster. Already, countries such as Russia, the US, China, and UN agents are in the process of sending food aid, mainly in the form of grains and cereals.
However, we need to be brutally honest with one another.
- What is the real reason millions of ordinary Zimbabweans are facing starvation?
- Can we genuinely blame the El Niño induced drought
- – or is the cause somewhere else totally divorced from the weather or climatic change?
For this, we need to look at a few case studies.
How are countries located in deserts faring when it comes to food security.
Let us remember that most places in the Middle East, for instance, receive far much less rain than we do here in Zimbabwe.
- In fact, the UAE (United Arab Emirates) gets an average 140 – 200 mm of rainfall per annum.
- Qatar receives less than 100 mm each year, and Saudi Arabia has less than 150 mm.
- On the other hand, in a normal season, Zimbabwe gets between 550 – 900 mm each year.
Yet, despite the fact that the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia perennially receive such little rainfall, their populations are never under any danger of hunger.
Actually, the UAE is ranked first in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region and 23rd in the world in its food security [based on the GFSI (Global Food Security Index)]. Qatar is number one in the entire Arab world and 24th in the world.
What about Zimbabwe?
In most seasons – not just this year when there is a drought – we are ranked somewhere near the bottom.
- In other words, it really does not matter whether we have a good rainfall season or not, Zimbabweans are always in danger of hunger.
- During the 2022/23 season, more than 3.8 million people in rural areas faced food insecurity at peak.
- Remember, the 2022/23 rainfall season was arguably one of the best this country has witnessed in years – with the Zimbabwe government even boasting of bumper harvests, particularly of wheat.
Why, then, are we seemingly always facing starvation?
Yet, those in deserts are considered some the most food secure in the world?
This all boils down to the quality of leaders in power.
These countries, as the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, are governed relatively well, as their leaders ensure that their national resources are utilized to uplift the citizens’ standard of living. They really do not have much in terms of these resources, largely depending on petroleum and natural gas. Nevertheless, these are managed faithfully and for the good of the entire population. In so doing, the government (together with the private sector) import more than enough food for everyone – which every citizen is able to easily afford due to their high standard of living.
In Zimbabwe, nonetheless, in spite of massive deposits of platinum, lithium, diamonds, gold, black granite, chrome, nickel, and many others – we are some of the poorest people on the planet.
In the same breath, we have the highest inflation in the world – making basic commodities overly expensive for millions. We have some of the best farming land in the world, yet millions of Zimbabweans still rely on rain-fed agriculture, making them vulnerable to the vagaries of the weather.
The ZANU PF administration has practically done nothing in ensuring that our rural folk have productive land that is adequately serviced, particularly with reliable water supply.
- Where are our vast mineral resources going?
- Who are they benefitting?
- Each year, Zimbabwe loses over US$3 billion to smuggling, illicit financial transactions, and other corrupt activities.
- In all this, very few, especially in the ruling elite (and those connected to them), are ever brought to book.
- They can live in insulting opulence whilst flaunting this ill-gotten wealth in front of poverty-stricken Zimbabweans.
- That is why doling out highly expensive luxury cars to friends is never a problem for them!
Is it then surprising that Zimbabwe is ranked the 149th least corrupt nation out of 180 countries, according to the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International? Those are shameful statistics, for which our leaders should be very embarrassed… if they had any conscience at all. On the other hand, the UAE is ranked 26th in the world – with Qatar at 40th and Saudi Arabia at 53rd.
As much as these figures are far from impressive, however, they should tell us why, even with very limited resources, they are more developed than Zimbabwe. That is the reason, despite being in a desert, their citizens are never food insecure. In other words, whether a nation has plenty to eat or is on the verge of starvation has very little to do with rainfall patterns.
It has, nevertheless, a lot to do with the quality of leaders in the particular country. Zimbabweans are staring starvation in the face because of a corrupt and incompetent regime.
El Niño or not, we will still be hungry.
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