The famed Kimberley Process of 2003, credited with clamping down on "blood diamond" trade from the various African conflicts of recent memory, has never been perfect (nor could be). But it has done a lot of good where signatory-states have worked together to reveal the source of shall-we-say-unusual appearances of diamonds attributed to sources that likely lacked the ability to bring that number of their own diamonds to market.
But the Process has suffered recently from efforts to undermine it, and the signatory-states are meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, this week to review the process. There is a lot to review, but the worst case seems to be Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), which produces diamonds at Marange. The World Federation of Diamond Bourses in April banned the sale of diamonds from Marange, based on the discovery that senior leadership in the Mugabe regime are profiting after a military operation to assert control the field last October. Prior to that, illegal diggers were taking what could be found there.
It is time for the Kimberley Process to follow the lead of the World Federation and proscribe trade in Marange-origin stones until the Mugabe clique is fully removed from power.
***
General Information on the Kimberley Process (KPCS)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment