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Last Updated: Jan 12, 2009 - 10:14:17 AM |
This is amid the violence
on that country's diamond fields, alleged diamond smuggling to
countries like South Africa and the use of diamond dollars to prop up
President Robert Mugabe's regime. Zimbabwe could now be in danger of
losing its status as a legal diamond dealer in terms of the United
Nations (UN) Kimberley Process, which strongly campaigns against trade
in conflict diamonds. Zimbabwe's formal diamond industry is currently
on its knees. The country produces less than 0.4% of the world's
diamonds, but illegal exploitation of alluvial diamonds increased
sharply in 2008. This is fanning fears that Zimbabwe can no longer
exercise effective control over its diamond production - a Kimberley
requirement. In an attempt to combat illegal trade, Zimbabwean security
forces by the end of last year had driven 35000 illegal diggers and
dealers from the Chiadzwa diamond field near Mutare, the Zimbabwean
police reported in December. Human rights groups claimed that air force
helicopters had opened fire on diggers, and the diamond newsletter
Rapaport announced that about 200 people had died in the fray.
In response to questions from Sake24, Eli Izhakoff, chairperson of the
WDC, declared in New York that the industry was "deeply concerned"
about reports that diamond trade in Zimbabwe was no longer complying
with the terms of the Kimberley process. According to Izhakoff, a
Kimberley Process team is drawing up a report on Zimbabwe to determine
whether "serious non-compliance with the mandates of the Kimberley
process" exists. The WDC itself declared in January 2008 that it had
received reports that illegal Zimbabwean diamonds were being smuggled
to South Africa, and were being classified as legitimate and then
exported. "We request an urgent and immediate review of the
(Zimbabwean) diamond office and its procedures." Analysts say that even
if Zimbabwean diamonds remain legitimate, prospective buyers should
have sufficient information to be able to reject Zimbabwean stones.
"Standards (in the Kimberley Process) must evolve so that people can
inform themselves that diamond proceeds do not go to a regime
committing massive human-rights atrocities," says Nicole Fritz of the
Southern African Litigation Centre. Prof Brian Raftopoulos, a
Zimbabwean political analyst, reckons steps to curtail Zimbabwe's
diamond trade should be seen as "another means of placing pressure on
the political mediation process". ?Diamonds are clearly one of the last
remaining sources of funds for a state that increasingly depends on its
security forces for survival," he adds.
Source:Ocnus.net 2008
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