Kimberley Process recommends suspending Zimbabwe from diamond trade

Harare - The Kimberley Process (KP), the international watchdog body fighting trade in 'blood diamonds,' has called for Zimbabwe to be barred from the international diamond trade for at least six months, Zimbabwean state media reported Thursday. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), which was implemented in 2003 and counts Zimbabwe among its member countries, requires diamond-producing countries to have controls in place certifying shipments of rough diamonds as 'conflict-free.' A team of Kimberley Process inspectors visited Zimbabwe's eastern Marange diamond fields earlier this month to investigate allegations of gross human rights abuses by the military against diamond diggers and residents. During its visit, the KP team called for the immediate withdrawal of the military from the area. The government agreed to comply, but said the withdrawal would only be carried out on a phased basis. On Thursday, the state-controlled Herald reported that 'an interim report by the KP team has recommended Zimbabwe to stop diamond trade within the KPCS until the country meets minimum standards.' The Herald said the Kimberley team recommended 'initiation of procedure to implement suspension of Zimbabwe from importing or exporting of rough diamonds within the KPCS for a period of at least six months, but until such time as a KP team determines that minimum standards have been met.' Human Rights Watch, in a report in June, accused the military of killing scores of wildcat diamond diggers in Marange during a crackdown on illegal mining in the area late last year and says members of the military are now lining their pockets with the gems. While Zimbabwe's coalition government 'has acknowledged non-compliance with the KP minimum standards,' it was 'silent on voluntary suspension,' the Herald said. Finance Minister Tendai Biti, of the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), had pleaded last week with the Process to give Zimbabwe more time to put in place proper controls in Marange before taking action, the paper said. The Herald quoted Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu as saying the government would take action when the Kimberley Process presented its final report, which was expected 'soon.' HRW and other groups have been calling for the definition of conflict diamonds - diamonds that pay for conflicts - to be expanded to include diamonds mined in conditions of gross rights abuses. The government says there were 'no killings' in Marange.