Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Mugabe to launch diamond sale

COMMENT - These diamonds have not 'been banned over blood diamond concerns', they the US, UK and Australia have obstructed the Kimberley Process to continue the economic blockade of Zimbabwe. A successful sale of diamonds will effectively nullify the economic sanctions against Zimbabwe. That is why. There are no "Blood Diamonds" in Zimbabwe, as defined by the one institution that is tasked by classifying them as such, which is the Kimberley Process. Shame on you, AFP. A case of VERY poor reporting.

Mugabe to launch diamond sale
by AFP
07/08/2010 00:00:00

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe will next week launch a sale of diamonds from Zimbabwe that had been banned over "blood diamond" concerns, a cabinet minister said Friday. "The launch of the sales will be made on Wednesday next week," mines minister Obert Mpofu told AFP. "This is really good news for the country."

The Kimberley Process, created just after the war to ensure that diamonds are "conflict-free", had barred Zimbabwe from selling the gems after its investigators found that soldiers had beaten civilians to force them to mine the precious stones.

But Kimberley decided last month to allow Zimbabwe two diamond sales, saying the country had met basic human rights requirements.

Zimbabwe has 4.5 million carats in stock, which it had been unable to sell because of the ban.

Kimberley monitor Abbey Chikane is expected to arrive in Harare on Sunday to supervise the sale.

Mining is Zimbabwe's main foreign currency earner, and Mugabe claims the Marange fields could eventually account for a quarter of global output.

Mugabe, who has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980, said last Sunday that the diamonds should benefit the entire country.

"Diamonds should not be pocketed by some individuals," Mugabe said.

Finance minister Tendai Biti told parliament last month that the Treasury could not account for any of the $30-million in Marange diamonds sold last year before the Kimberley ban took effect.

Labels: DIAMONDS, KIMBERLEY PROCESS, ROBERT MUGABE

posted by MrK @ 5:05 PM