Army clamps down on illegal diamond traffickers

As part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal diamond trafficking, the Angolan army has arrested 700 people, state radio reported on Wednesday. The arrests were made during an army operation which began in the central province of Bie in December, aimed at cleaning up diamond mining operations in the country. Among those arrested were 334 foreigners, most of whom were from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. An independent risk analyst, Johann Smith, described the army sweep as an attempt by the government to take control of diamond mining operations. For decades it has been a poorly regulated sector, with the former rebel movement, UNITA, using the proceeds of its lucrative illegal mining to fund its war against the government. According to the radio report, the clampdown on illegal traffickers was a result of cooperation between the presidency, the secret service, several ministries and Angola's public diamond enterprise, ENDIAMA. "After the operation, ENDIAMA will go and take charge of security in these zones, and will take charge of the expulsion of illegal diamond traffickers," the report stated. Out of an estimated total of 290,000 people suspected of illegal diamond mining throughout the country, 90,000 are believed to be foreigners, mostly from Sierra Leone, Senegal and Mali, besides those from the DRC. Angola is the fourth largest diamond producer after Botswana, Russia and South Africa.