Diamond meeting ends without consensus on Zimbabwe

Member states and partners of the Kimberley Process, failed to reach agreement on whether to allow Zimbabwe to resume its trade in diamonds from the controversial Chiadzwa fields. During the intersessional meeting in Tel Aviv this week no agreement could be reached, meaning the Kimberley Process will maintain its ban on diamond exports from Chiadzwa.

Zimbabwean Minister of Mines Mpofu again warned that Zimbabwe will be exporting its stockpile even without KP approval, while rights groups say there is clear evidence that political and military leaders are involved in mass plunder of the diamonds around Marange. Meanwhile Farai Maguwu, the director of the Centre for Research and Development who has been reporting on human rights violations in the Chiadzwa area, remains in prison.

Inside Zimbabwe, the constitutional outreach exercise took off in a chaotic way, with several reports of disruptions and intimidation. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai announced a reorganization of the Ministerial portfolios held by his MDC formation.