« Top Ten Pitfalls to Consider When Buying an Engagement Ring | Main | Brilliant Earth Launches on Social Media Sites »
Zimbabwe Minister Faces Questions on Mass Graves
By B. Earth | April 7, 2009
In November, the Zimbabwe government massacred illegal diamond miners who had taken to the diamond fields to alleviate their desperate poverty. An estimated 140 miners were killed in the brutal raids. Zimbabwean parliamentarians will now interrogate Obert Mpofu, the minister of mines, regarding allegations that 83 of the illegal miners allegedly killed by the army were buried in mass graves at the Chiadzwa diamond fields, located about 90 km from the city of Mutare. It is not clear whether the legislators who will pose questions to Mpofu belong to the Movement for Democratic Change formations or to President Robert Mugabe’s corrupt ZANU-PF party.
The Kimberley Process of international diamond certification is reviewing Zimbabwe’s record and is considered likely to terminate the country’s membership. Smuggled diamonds from Zimbabwe’s government-seized diamond fields have been found on the market in India, Lebanon, Russia and South Africa. We are appalled at the prevalence of conflict diamonds that have entered the market place, and until the widespread smuggling of conflict diamonds into legitimate markets is stopped, it is critical that diamond buyers carefully vet their suppliers and demand transparency in mining practices. Brilliant Earth will continue to carry only ethically sourced diamonds that are mined under strict social and environmental standards.
Topics: Conflict Diamond Issues, In the News, Mining Issues, Uncategorized |