Friday Photo (38) - Victoria Falls

ZIMBABWE: VICTORIA FALLS
A stunning photo from the EGU's 'Imaggeo' archive of the highest waterfalls in Africa, located on the Zambezi River between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
(Mercedes Rodriguez , Ribeira - Spain) 

Archive: Diamonds in Zimbabwe

GfGD have written a series of posts about the controversial decision by the Kimberley Process to allow diamonds to be sold from the Marange fields of Zimbabwe. You can read our full series of posts here.

Online Petition - Zimbabwe's 'Blood Diamonds'

Recently we posted a blog urging the Government to push for an immediate end to the export of diamonds from the  Marange field of Zimbabwe, while an independent and thorough investigation into alleged crimes against humanity is completed. If you are a UK citizen you can now sign an e-petition calling on Her Majesty's Government to:

(1) Lobby the Kimberley Process (regulating the sale of diamonds) to reverse the decision made earlier this year to allow the export of diamonds from two mines in the Marange region. 

(2) Lobby the Kimberley Process to instigate an urgent, thorough and independent investigation of the allegations of crimes against humanity. 

(3) Act decisively and rapidly on the findings of this investigation, to ensure that profits from the sale of these diamonds does not fuel further conflict in the nation, conflict which pushes people deeper into poverty. Profits must be used to benefit the Zimbabwe's citizens - improving infrastructure, food security, health and education. 

You can find the petition online here, and publicise it using Twitter and Facebook. In the event that this petition reaches 100,000 signatures over the next few months it will be considered for a debate in the House of Commons. Please do forward the link to this petition to anybody you think may be interested.

Geology for Global Development is a UK-based organisation working to raise the profile of international development within the geoscience community. As part of our work we undertake an advocacy programme - aiming to fight poverty and improve the lives of communities around the world through working to shape policy and lobbying Government. You can read more at www.gfgd.org/projects/advocacy.  

Zimbabwe's Blood Diamonds

Photo Courtesy of USGS

At the end of June I wrote about troubles in the Kimberley Process - after a controversial decision was made to allow Zimbabwe to sell diamonds from the Marange field, despite concern that money from these sales would be used to fund violence and human rights abuses. It was deeply troubling, therefore, to see the BBC Panorama programme (available here for the next 12 months) interviewing witnesses who stated that there had been massacres to clear the diamond fields for the military. They also described torture camps where civilians caught mining independently (and others working on the military mines) were beaten, raped and tortured. While these reports are strongly denied by the Zimbabwean government these gravest of allegations must be thoroughly investigated before any Zimbabwean diamonds are allowed to access the world market.

The International Response

The EU initially refused to accept the decision made by the Kimberley Process earlier this year to allow exports of diamonds from two mines. It has since changed its mind, and now backs this partial lifting of the ban, while maintaining that bans should still be in place on the other mines. According to a statement made by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office they are in agreement with this controversial decision. While understanding that experts have assessed the two mines in question and deemed that they meet international standards, if the allegations made by Panorama are true then this calls the decision made by the Kimberley Process into question.


OUR POSITION: The income from the sustainable extraction and export of minerals, precious metals and precious stones can bring tremendous benefit to communities in poverty. There is significant doubt that the income from diamonds in the Marange field will contribute to the sustainable economic and social development of Zimbabwe. If the allegations made by Panorama are true then there must be an immediate end to all diamond exports from this nation, a strengthening of political sanctions and an investigation of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, with arrest warrants issued if necessary.

We would strongly urge the UK Government and European Union to push for a complete ban on all diamond exports from the Marange region until a thorough and independent investigation of these allegations has been made.

If you are a UK citizen we would also invite you to write to your MP to ask them to lobby the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office on this issue. Simply outline your concerns and ask them to push for a complete ban and a thorough investigation. If you are a citizen of another country, we would urge you to contact your appropriate Government representative.

Kimberley Process in crisis - Zimbabwe "allowed" to sell controversial diamonds

In a post written earlier this month I noted the important role geoscientists have to play in the location, extraction, processing and protection of natural resources - such as metal ores, fossil fuels and precious stones. Precious stones, such as diamonds, have long been associated not only with corruption but also conflict in many areas of Africa. The Kimberley Process is a scheme to certify diamonds coming from sources where they are not used to fund conflict by rebel groups against legitimate governments. 

Diamonds have been used to fund conflicts and cause devastation in, amongst others, countries such as Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Angola in the past. Commonly known as 'blood diamonds' - these stones have a significant role in widespread human rights abuses, deepening poverty and widening inequalities. Geologists and gemmologists play an important role in characterising diamonds from different locations and recognising key identifying features to help in the monitoring process. The Kimberley Process had the potential to make a large difference to global development if it works effectively, and is wiling to reularly review its mission. 

It is sad therefore, to see evidence of the Kimberley Process falling short of its role and responsibility through a statement that appears to allow exports of diamonds from two fields in Zimbabwe that were reportedly seized by the Zimbabwean military. The decision by the current Kimberley Process Chairman from the DRC to go against protocol in ensuring a unanimous consensus, instead using a majority vote to justify this decision is worrying. Opposition from the EU, USA and Canada has been joined by concern from the Zimbabwean Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), as reported by the New York Times. Zimbabwean Finance Minister, a prominent member of the MDC, has questioned the validity of the majority vote, and others in the party are reported to be deeply concerned that money from the sale of these diamonds will be used by the military to fund violence against the MDC in future elections, in order to prop up the Zanu-PF party of Robert Mugabe.

This decision is a clear sign that it is time to update the Kimberley Process to include not only diamonds funding abuses by rebel groups against a legitimate government - but also diamonds funding abuses by governments against their own people. The UK government have stated that they are "deeply concerned" by this statement. We would urge the Foreign Office and EU Foreign Affairs Chief, Cathy Ashton, to push for a clarification of the 'unanimous' rule of the Kimberley Process, and seek a change to its rules and mission to ensure it retains the required credibility for this process to work.


Read More: FCO Conflict Minerals