KP: Zimbabwe allowed to trade Diamonds

The ban on diamond trade from the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe has yesterday been lifted by the Kimberley Process (KP), a tripartite organization to deflect conflict diamonds from trade. This decision was made without civil society participants who boycotted the meeting because the KP allegedly did not take the human rights violations in the Marangwe diamond fields seriously enough. In parliamant Eddie Cross (MDC) put the issue of human rights violations in the Marangwe diamond fields on the agenda, which he said resulted in intimidation by the CIO (Central Intelligence Office).

Other news include the interuption of MDC rallies by police officers in North Matabeleland. There was also a smallscale attack on the MDC headquarters last week and later in the week police entered the building, according to officials they were searching for illegal vendors who fled inside.