/ 11 October 2000

DIAMOND DIGGERS DIE IN LANDSLIDE

THIRTEEN amateur diamond prospectors have been killed in a landslide in northeastern Angola, state radio reported. Four other diamond-seekers were seriously injured in the tragedy, which occurred at a mine in Chassuala, near the city of Saurimo. Police managed to pull the four out of the debris from the landslide. The government recently launched a campaign to control small amateur diamond ventures, requiring prospectors to register with the authorities. Many Angolans and foreigners are illegally extracting diamonds in the area, cutting into a major source of revenue for the government. – AFP