Zim Diamonds not “conflict” diamonds

Tony Munetsi (25/11/09)

It appears as if the decision by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme not to suspend Zimbabwe from legally mining and trading in diamonds has not pleased those who always wish bad things to happen to our beloved Zimbabwe .

In her article which recently appeared in the Cape Times entitled ‘conflict diamond mining begins in Zimbabwe’ Peta Thornycroft states that mining of ‘conflict’ diamonds in eastern Zimbabwe by a web of companies in which South African giant Old Mutual has a share has began in defiance of High Court order.

Let me first of all demystify the myth that Zimbabwe ’s diamonds are conflict diamonds and later look at the High Court order Thornycroft alleges is being defied. Conflict diamond refers to a diamond mined in a war \one and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army’s efforts or a warlord’s activity. On what basis would Thornycroft and many others who have a mind like hers classify our diamonds as conflict or blood diamonds? Chiadzwa is a peaceful area and not a war zone. The diamonds that the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation together with two mining companies that recently were granted permission to mine the diamonds Candile and Mhada are neither being sold to finance an insurgency, invading army’s efforts nor a warlord’s activity.

Zimbabwe ’s diamonds were certainly going to become conflict diamonds at one stage had government not moved in and restore order at the diamond fields by sending soldiers to guard them from panners. Chiadzwa diamond fields had been invaded by all sorts of panners and buyers who were fast turning themselves into cartels. Had government not moved in we were certainly going to see a situation in which the rival panners and buyers were going to turn Chiadzwa into a real war zone. Warlords were certainly going to emerge in order to maintain monopolies in the panning and buying of the precious gem.

Now that proper mining has commenced the likes of Thornycroft choose to see, hear and write nothing good about Chiadzwa. Thornycroft goes on to lie that the companies now mining diamonds at Chiadzwa are setting up diamond cutting operations at Harare airport which would allow them to export the diamonds without proper certification that they are not blood diamonds. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme inspection team which came to Zimbabwe to see how the country was complying with diamond mining standards actually visited the site of the diamond cutting operation at the airport for inspection and saw nothing wrong with the arrangement. It is public knowledge that a diamond cutting operation is being set up at the airport but let it be known to Thornycroft that its not meant to export diamonds without proper certification for the KP already knows the arrangement.

In any case would it make sense for a country that was recently given a reprieve to start doing things that would surely lead to its suspension? A closer look at Thornycroft’s article shows that the writer is driving the sanctions agenda. Recently, the US showed its displeasure at the KP’s decision not to suspend Zimbabwe from the mining and selling of diamonds. There are powerful forces that do not want to see Zimbabwe prosper. Powerful forces that do not want to see anything that makes the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) irrelevant. And diamonds, which are in abundance in Zimbabwe , are one vehicle through which Zimbabwe could make ZIDERA irrelevant and those powerful forces will not allow that to happen. Pressure is being put to bear on the international community not to buy the country’s diamonds. For what reason when the country has not been suspended by the KP one might ask? The reason being that diamonds are set to burst the sanctions imposed by the US and other western countries.

Speaking during a recent tour of the field by a government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu said Zimbabwe had complied with over 90 percent of the KPCS requirements. “We have done a lot since the last review by the KPSC as part of our efforts to comply with their recommendations as well as towards achieving and fulfilling compliance.” That meant the pulling out of soldiers from the fields that is going on gradually until the companies have full control of the area’s security.

On to the issue that diamond mining is taking place in defiance of the High Court Order, it has been made clear by the authorities that the two companies partnering with ZMDC were given claims that do not overlap into the claims belonging to ACR, therefore there is no defiance of a court order at all. So much has been said about the companies that are now mining diamond at Chiadzwa but very little has been said about ACR besides that it is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a victim of government policies. But people should also know that it is the same ACR that looted huge amounts of diamonds from Chiadzwa at a time very few people knew of the precious mineral’s existence there.

The company was one of those companies and individuals who bought diamonds from panners before government moved in. The question is where did all those diamonds go? Is the company not guilty of trading in diamonds that have not been fully certified of their origins?

The world should come out in full support of Zimbabwe in its efforts to legally mine and trade in diamonds and in its quest to once again become a jewel of Africa . Nothing is going to stop the country from reaping the benefits of having one of the world’s largest deposits of diamonds. Mined and sold properly, diamonds, and many other minerals in the country, are surely going to turn the fortunes of this country to such an extend that those who wanted Zimbabwe to be declared a Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) will curse the day they ever conceived that idea.