Zimbabwe Suspension Pending Approval

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Zimbabwe Suspension Pending Approval

By B. Earth | August 6, 2009

Amid strong evidence of the Zimbabwe government and military’s direct involvement in brutal attacks on diamond miners in the country’s Marange district, a Kimberley Process delegation has at long last recommended that Zimbabwe be suspended from the scheme. For months, international human rights groups have called for Zimbabwe’s expulsion from the Kimberley Process, which is the industry’s sole effort to keep conflict diamonds out of legitimate markets. The failure of the KP to act sooner was cited as one of the reasons for KP architect Ian Smillie’s resignation earlier this year.

The Kimberley Process delegation has recommended a suspension of at least six months, until it can be determined that Zimbabwe is meeting Kimberley Process standards. Should it be approved, the suspension would prevent Zimbabwe from legal direct export of rough diamonds. However, in past cases of KP suspension, countries have been suspected of continuing to export indirectly through porous borders to nearby jurisdictions that continue to operate under the Kimberley Process umbrella.

Following months of international debate, Brilliant Earth is glad to see the KP take a first step toward accountability for Zimbabwe’s human rights abuses. Nonetheless, this is only a beginning. Despite good intentions, the Kimberley Process has not proven itself to reliably seal off conduits for the trade in conflict diamonds and other illicit gems. Moreover, the scheme is not designed to address or monitor human rights, labor practices, or environmental abuses. We hope that this long-overdue suspension is a forerunner of further positive change in the industry.

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