India’s Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, which regulates the diamond trade in the Asian country, announced last Wednesday that it had passed a decision not to import diamonds from the Marange mines.
Chandrakant Sanghvi, GJEPC regional chairman in Surat, told the media that India took the decision to impose the ban after the global community and various organizations received reports of human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
Last month's Kimberley Process talks on the issue of diamond exports from the Marange region concluded in discord following a failure by members to reach a consensus, despite a declaration by KP chairman Mathieu Yamba that the watchdog would allow resumption of sales.
Export of the Zimbabwe diamonds still faces opposition from the European Union, the United States, Canada and Australia. “Since there is no full support, India has decided that Zimbabwe diamonds will not be imported here," Sanghvi said.
The GJEPC ban is a major setback for the cash-strapped Harare regime which has banking on support from Indian buyers who have pledged to buy at least $100 million worth of gems monthly.
Zimbabwe has been barred from openly selling its diamonds from Marange since 2009 due to alleged human rights violations by the army.
Post published in: Zimbabwe News