By Violet Gonda
24 June 2010
Member states and partners of the Kimberley Process, an organization set up eight years ago to eradicate the trade in blood diamonds, failed to reach agreement on whether to allow Zimbabwe to resume its trade in diamonds from the controversial Chiadzwa fields. As consensus wasn’t reached this means the Kimberley process will maintain its ban on diamond exports from Chiadzwa.
The international diamond watchdog works on total consensus and delegates at the meeting, which started in Tel Aviv on Monday, have been sharply divided over the Zimbabwe diamond saga.
It’s reported that all countries from Southern Africa, including Botswana, wanted the Kimberley Process to certify Zimbabwe’s diamonds. Other supporters included the United Arab Emirates, India and Russia.
However, Canada, USA, Australia and the KP Civil Society Coalition, were among the outspoken critics. They argued that Zimbabwe had failed to meet the KP’s minimum requirements, and should not get certification.
There was fierce debate and much division in those attending the conference, which was supposed to have finished on Wednesday but which dragged on for another day.
During the meeting Mines Minister Mpofu continually threatened to reject any decision by the Kimberley Process that blocked Zimbabwe from exporting the precious stones. Mpofu told critics at the meeting: “To those who dream about regime change, there will never ever be regime change in Zimbabwe. We fought for our liberation and we are still ready to fight again.”
Once again Mpofu warned that Zimbabwe will be exporting its stockpile, even without KP approval. He claimed the money is needed to feed the many who are starving in Zimbabwe. But rights groups say there is clear evidence that political and military leaders are involved in mass plunder of the diamonds in Manicaland province and that this valuable resource does not benefit ordinary Zimbabweans at all.
Security forces currently control the diamond fields, in spite of calls by the KP for the demilitarisation of the area.
At the end of the deadlocked negotiations it was not immediately clear what happens next. A delegate said the next meting is in November and explained that the chairman of the KP can always choose to call an extraordinary meeting to discuss this issue again, before then.
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