JA Concerned over Zimbabwe’s Diamond Exports to Dubai

Jewelers of America expressed deep concern over recent reports that Zimbabwe has approved rough diamond exports to Dubai, in violation of an agreed work plan. JA President Matthew A. Runci Called on the Kimberley Process (KP) to not authorize any further shipments of goods originating from the Marange.

The situation poses a challenge to the KP. When first framed, the system sought to battle exports of rough by rebel forces. Following the grave human rights violations in the Marange diamond fields, the KP has drafted a compromised solution that was agreed upon by the government of Zimbabwe.

While the human rights violations were by a legal and recognized government, the reported deaths of some 200 people led to an international ban on exports from Marange diamonds until a monitoring system - the Kimberley Process Joint Work Plan (JWP) - is in place.

However, as a sovereign state that is a member of KP, Zimbabwe has the legal right to issue KP certificates, which it did. The exports, first reported last week by Chaim Even-Zohar, included multiple shipments of rough diamonds to Dubai since December 2009 and April 2010.

Following this development, Runci sent a letter on behalf of JA members to Stephane Chardon, chair of the Kimberley Process Working Group on Monitoring (WGM). In the letter, Runci expressed JA’s belief that the KP should not authorize the resumption of shipments of any goods from Marange until there is renewed assurance by the WGM that corrective measures have been taken.

The complete letter can be found here.