World divided over Marange blood diamonds

The World Diamond Council (WDC) said this week that Zimbabwe has undermined any remaining goodwill after the Harare authorities pounced on members of a non-governmental organisation monitoring abuses at the controversial Marange diamond fields.

The Kimberley Process (KP)s Zimbabwe monitor Abbey Chikane, on the other hand, said he was satisfied with mining operations and the security arrangements at Marange, also known as Chiadzwa.

The WDC expressed extreme concern over the arrest and intimidation of members of Zimbabwes Centre for Research and Development (CRD), which it said raised serious concerns about the ability of the Kimberley Process monitor Abbey Chikane to carry out his terms of reference meant to ensure Zimbabwe complies with KP diamond trading directives.

CRD director Peter Maguwu handed himself to the police last week after law enforcement agents abducted his cousin.

“Unless the Zimbabwean authorities demonstrate their commitment by renewing their efforts to achieve full compliance and crack down on acts of violence and intimidation, they risk undermining any remaining goodwill, their future participation and the opportunity to benefit legitimately from the export and sale of their valuable resources,” WDC said.

The council commented as Chikane announced that Zimbabwe had satisfied the minimum Kimberley Process Certification Scheme requirements for rough diamond trading.

Chikane said as a result of the findings, KPCS was ready to supervise Harare’s export arrangements.

In a report issued after his second fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe, Chikane said he was “impressed by the security arrangements at Chiadzwa,” which he found better than in some other diamond exporting countries in Africa.

Chikane’s report, noted that the Zimbabwe National Army should continue securing the fields: “The KP monitor can confirm that, in his considered opinion, security at Mbada Diamonds and, to some extent at Canadile Miners, is far better than most similar operations in Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and even South Africa. Illegal panners will always attempt penetration of the fence, much like in any operation in the world,” he said.