Lev Leviev Group has a stake in the Luminas diamond mine in Angola.
The Lev Leviev Group of Companies, Leviev's private diamond company, denies reports of brutality at the Luminas diamond mine in Angola. A company spokesman said, "The information is mendacious. The riots in Angola have nothing to do with the Leviev Group's business."
Angolan media reports "brutal repression" by guards of mining companies’ private security forces, police and military at diamond mines at Cuango, in northeast Angola. An Angolan human rights activist said that Luminas, a company owned partly by Lev Leviev, was one of the mines targeted, although it was not specifically mentioned by local police officials in reports.
The local police said that the miners rebelled after unlicensed miners were expelled from the area earlier this month and subsequently clashed with Alfa-5, a private security company. Several people died and over a hundred have been arrested, according to reports.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 19, 2008
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2008