Zimbabwe Says No, We Say, Follow the Money

June 29, 11 by Edahn Golan

Let's be frank, something does not make sense about the Kimberley Process' inability to work out a deal with Zimbabwe. My guess – someone does not want it to happen. Call this conclusion harsh or simplistic, I do not mind because at the end of the day, the answer has to be a simple one. After all, the diamond industry wants the diamonds, Zimbabwe wants to sell them, so isn't it odd we are not getting anywhere?

Taking a broad look at this story, this is what we currently have:

• Diamonds are mined in Marange… Check.
• The miners want to sell the mined rough diamonds… Check.
• Manufacturers want the goods… Check.
• There were atrocities at the Marange diamond fields but the NGOs agree that now the situation there is better… Check.
• A series of deals were offered, but were rejected because of bad politicking and was acknowledged and corrected (the U.S. publicly said it made mistakes and did an about face on its position)... Check.

Pardon me for not getting any further into the details of this. A quick search of our archives (as well as the promising series by Rob Bates at JCK Online) will fill in any gaps.

According to people involved in the negotiations in Kinshasa last week, the deal that Zimbabwe was offered was something they would have wholeheartedly adopted at earlier negotiations – in Dubai, Brussels, St. Petersburg and (twice) in Jerusalem. Any good agreement is the exchange of satisfaction, and someone here is simply not satisfied. Why is it?

Deep Throat: Follow the money.
Bob Woodward: What do you mean? Where?
Deep Throat: Oh, I can't tell you that.

In the 1976 classic movie All the President's Men, FBI Associate Director Mark Felt, known until recently only as “Deep Throat”, advised Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward to “follow the money” in his Watergate investigation. Good advice and appropriate in examining not understood entanglements.

The continued deadlock in KP is not caused by KP and only somewhat exasperated by the NGOs. It is money that drives any industry, including the diamond industry, and its money that is preventing the situation from being resolved.

Now that the member countries, the diamond industry and NGOs walked the walk, it's Zimbabwe – and lets be accurate here, certain members of Zimbabwe's political leadership – that are saying “No”. If those specific people are saying “No,” we must then ask ourselves “Why?” Here is one possible answer: follow the money.

PS – I hear that there are currently quiet negotiations with Zimbabwe to end the deadlock. This is an opportunity for Zimbabwe to prove us wrong, and do the right.

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