Maravi

(ZIMPAPERS) US smuggles hostile clause into Chiadzwa diamond deal

US smuggles hostile clause into Chiadzwa diamond deal
Saturday, 05 February 2011 23:42 Top Stories
By Tafadzwa Chiremba

THE United States is alleged to have smuggled a hostile clause into a draft decision that granted Zimbabwe the greenlight to export its diamonds mined at Chiadzwa.

It is understood that the clause — 3(b) of the draft decision recently circulated by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) outgoing chairman Mr Boaz Hirsch — was politically charged to introduce stringent measures in Zimbabwe’s bid to sell its diamonds.

Observers feel that the clause subjects Zimbabwe to standards which no other country in the Kimberley Process is subjected to.
KPCS last month finally granted the country the latitude to sell its diamonds, including its stockpile, following a Draft Administrative Decision that was circulated by Mr Hirsch revealing that Zimbabwe had made “significant progress” in moving towards full compliance with KPCS.

“Plenary recognises that the Review Mission and KP monitor have confirmed the compliance with KP minimum standards of certain mining operations (that is Mbada Diamonds and Marange Resources).
“Plenary endorses exports of current production with immediate effect from the compliant mining operations,” read part of the circular by Mr Hirsch.

Sources close to the Brussels KP meeting that culminated in the Draft Administrative Decision revealed that the United States engineered the “politically charged and vague” clause which states that occurrence of violence, lawlessness and harassment would trigger suspension of Chiadzwa diamonds from exports.

Part of the clause read: “The KP Plenary calls upon the Government of Zimbabwe to actively undertake all commitments so that the provision of security measures and internal controls in Marange should ensure the prevention of lawlessness and violence, particularly when involving Government entities, and to ensure the gradual demilitarisation and the reduction of smuggling in/from Marange.”
Zimbabwe has since challenged the clause, which has come to be known as the “violence clause”. -The Sunday Mail

Labels: CHIADZWA

posted by MrK @ 12:02 AM