HARARE The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has tightened the screws on trade in illicit diamonds by instructing its members to rigorously screen all stones brought before them in order to cut the flow of gems from conflict areas.WFDB President Avi Paz last week called on each of the federations 29 bourse members to hold a general assembly to discuss how to protect the reputation of the WFDB-affiliated diamond bourses and their members.
As part of the measures, the WFDB chief said it was important that each individual diamantaire who holds bourse membership was completely up to speed as to the requirements, rules and regulations concerning the ban on trading in diamonds originating in areas and regions of conflict.”
He urged the individual bourses to impose an absolute ban on conflict diamonds as expressed in the rules and regulation of the WFDB and to prepare presentations in their native language on the Kimberley Process Certification Process (KPCS).
“We have to uphold our commitment to assure that no diamonds originating in conflict regions enter the [diamond] trade, and the members of our 29 member bourses are those who need to stand guard over this, Paz said in a letter to members.
The WFDB statement comes in the wake of last months arrest of an Israeli diamond dealer who was caught trying to smuggle illicit stones obtained from Zimbabwes controversial Marange fields.
David Vardi was immediately expelled from the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) for violating a ban on trade in Marange diamonds.
Vardi was arrested in late December after a courier he had hired to carry the diamonds was caught by custom officials as he was about to exit Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.
After his arrest, the courier, Gilad Halachmi, implicated Vardi resulting in the trader being picked up for questioning.
The diamonds were not accompanied by Kimberley Process (KP) certificates as required by law and international treaties.
Diamonds from Zimbabwes Marange region are banned for exports as part of measures to force the southern African country to adhere to KP mining standards.
The Zimbabwean army is accused of alleged human rights abuses at the Marange fields, including engaging in forced labour and smuggling.
Post published in: News