This dirty secret needs to see the light of day and the governments of these states need to confront that ugliness head-on.
The most glaringly obvious case in point is the Chiadzwa diamond debacle. And, as we speak, the international involvement in this rape of Zimbabwes birthright gathers pace.
We must ask what are the UK and South African and Mauritian authorities doing about this? They wring their hands in horror at the lack of respect for law in Zimbabwe but do nothing in their own jurisdictions to reprimand or investigate their own corporate bodies wilfully exploiting Zimbabwes lawlessness to profit from blood diamond money. Why?
It seems inconceivable that these people have not read the international press about the court orders and ownership issues.
While it is not yet known how many diamonds were successfully bought and by which companies, these participants obviously must know the risks that the owners of these diamonds will track them down and demand compensation?
What are the governments of India, Belgium, Israel, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates and Dubai doing about these rogue companies of theirs?
What can the public do? Many of these bidders are allegedly ethical suppliers and traders in gems. How can they possibly believe that there will be no consumer backlash against their products?
It is time for the retailers like Tiffany and Cartier to stand up and demand an end to the trade in unethical or stolen goods. Rosy Blues business would collapse under such a boycott.
This is similar to the threatened boycott on Nestl products when they were supporting stolen milk from Zimbabwe but is far, far more important.
Trade in stolen goods is an international crime. Any activity in contempt of a very specific court order is a crime in Zimbabwe. The mining of these diamonds is, therefore, a crime regardless of the actual alleged ownership by one party or another. So what possibly do the bidders see as their defence to allege they were buying in good faith?
The Kimberley Process has failed miserably in trying to assist transparency in Zimbabwes murky, underworld-ruled diamond sector. They have failed to identify the corruption and criminality of current mining. They have failed in their purpose and the failure must surely reside at the door of the so-called KP monitor, Abbey Chikane whose behaviour, disclosures and baffling non-disclosures have led to increasing scepticism about his impartiality.
Suffice to say that yet another international body has failed to condemn the lawlessness and breakdown of society in Zimbabwe. Instead they seem to have whitewashed the appalling perversion of justice and are recommending an endorsement of the diamonds that are clearly the proceeds of criminality.
No doubt this will be the cover behind which the buyers at the latest auction will hide to justify their trade in these contraband goods.
Post published in: News