CAPE TOWN — Zimbabwe's diamond mining remains a concern but the Kimberley Process watchdog hasn't agreed on how to act because the country is not in a "blood diamond" conflict, an industry leader said Sunday.

The international body failed last week to reach consensus on whether to allow Zimbabwe to resume trade in gems from its Marange fields, where the Kimberley Process last year documented brutal abuses of workers by the military.

"Right now in Zimbabwe, where we can all agree that the diamond mining that is taking place is a concern, there is no overt conflict and we have a legitimate government," Jonathan Oppenheimer, De Beers executive director, said at the CNN Global Forum.

"And so the Kimberley Process itself is in a very difficult position. It feels like it needs to act. The community wants it to act. We've seen a dialogue within the Kimberley Process system that is looking at ways to act."

The issue deadlocked a Kimberley meeting in Israel last week. Talks are due to resume July 14-15 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Human Rights Watch claims harassment of workers is continuing and that some as young as 11 are forced to hand their finds to military guards, who then sell them on the black market.

The Kimberley Process gathers governments, industry and civil society to stem the flow of "blood diamonds" -- rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments.

By AFP

Comments(1):

1. Kimberley Process

   Let the Obama strategic team decide on what needs to be done in regards to these diamonds remeber the poeple of Zimbabwe has suffered for more than 2 decades l belive that if the mugabe solders are removed from securing these diamonds and use the wise one MDC to take proper decision this will help a lot of poor people who are being mislead by the Mugabe kingdom and start by the creation of jobs allow these diamonds to be distributed in the right way but make sure the Zanu govenrment is not involved . Though the states implemented some sactions but it is only affecting the poor people not the Corrupt ZANU government as they are benefiting from these diamonds ,these diamonds are enough to solve all the problems affecting the country especailly raod constraction , Hospitals and schools take these diamonds and use them at the rural areas for some farming projects, it is a pain that most of of the african leaders also failed to solved the Zimbabwe's problem where they should even stop Mugabe to visit any african country and give him a taste of his own medicine how will he feel knowing that he is being rejected by his own Africans.

   Tuesday, June 29, 2010 alexa