The 40 families remaining in Zimbabwe's Chiadzwa diamond fields, who have refused to relocated until they receive $50,000 in compensation per family, have reportedly been forcibly evicted by soldiers and workers from Anjin, a Chinese diamond mining company operating in the region.

According to The Zimbabwean, Anjin has refused to pay the compensation and turned to intimidation tactics.

Some 20 families have already been moved out of the region and received $1,000 compensation each. However, diamond industry activist Farai Maguwu stresses that the remaining villagers' demand of $50,000 per family is in accordance with the UN habitat minimum standards for relocation.

One local tribal leader was quoted as saying "we are totally against this whole idea [relocation.] Our ancestors are against that. I do not see the wisdom of removing people from their ancestral soil." The tribal representative said he had tried to bring the issue before President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, but had not found them willing to listen.

No response was available from Zanu-PF or from the Anjin mining company.