NGOs Deny Asking for 1% of Revenues from Marange Diamond Exports

NGO campaigner Carroll Bogert (left) minister Mpofu and WDC President Izhakoff during the conference last week. This and other discussion that did not lead to a unanimous decision. Photo: Edahn Golan

Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) "categorically rejected" charges that they asked for one percent of the revenues generated by the sale of the Marange diamonds. Allegedly, the request was in return for their support for allowing the Marange's diamonds to be exported.

Last week, as the Kimberley Process Intersessional conference was about to conclude, delegates were negotiating the resumption of exports of the Marange goods, according to the recommendations by the KP Monitor Abby Chikane.

With the African counties supporting the resumption, and a coalition that included the U.S., Canada, Australia and the NGOs opposing, the talks were deadlocked, leading to a series of group discussions, seeking a way out of the stalemate. During those talks the offer was allegedly made.

Speaking to IDEX Online last week, Global Witness campaigner Annie Dunnebacke denied such an offer was made by her organization or any of the other NGOs, adding that the offer to place the one percent proceeds in a protection fund was "outrageous."

IDEX Online heard from a number of participants that such an offer was made on a non-paper, and offered by a member of the U.S. delegation, supposedly with the prior-knowledge of the NGOs.

The non-paper, a term borrowed from the world of diplomacy that means an unofficial or off-the-record offer, caused an uproar and distanced the sides. The breakdown was so severe that despite all night discussions and the addition of a fourth day, the conference ended without a decision about the export of Marange's diamonds.  

“The violence that continues to plague Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond fields – and the government’s blatant disregard for KP rules – indisputably signify that no exports should take place now,” said Dunnebacke in a release. 

The Zimbabwean newspaper The Sunday Mail, quoted Minister of Mines Obert Mpofu, who led Zimbabwe’s delegation at the meeting, as saying that Global Witness and PAC approached him with the “money-for-support” proposal, which he rejected as “extortion.”  

“This is a cynical and amoral attempt by Minister Mpofu to distract from the organized smuggling and human rights abuses being carried out by state institutions, in direct contravention of KP minimum requirements,” said Alan Martin from PAC.

The campaigners said in the Monday release that "the source of the rumor was likely to be a late-night brainstorming session at which the idea was floated of using one percent of any future diamond sales to create a protection fund for Zimbabwean civil society. There was never any suggestion that this money would be as a reward for allowing exports to resume before the situation on the ground had improved."

Members of the U.S. delegation were not immediately available to comment.