Gem Diamonds Reports Calm After Military Coup In Lesotho

(IDEX Online) – Following an army coup in Lesotho, Gem Diamonds said that it has not seen any army activity in the capital, Maseru, so far.

"Our management in Lesotho report that Maseru is calm and there is no disruption whatsoever at the company’s Letseng mine which is situated some four hours from Maseru in the mountains.

"It is not anticipated that there will be any impact upon operations at Letseng nor upon any of the company’s sales and marketing operations in respect of the Letseng production."

Lesotho Defense Forces disarmed police in Maseru, and Prime Minister Thomas Thabane fled to South Africa.

South African President Jacob Zuma is trying to mediate between rival factions in order to return the country to its parliamentary democracy.

The Letseng mine has provided four of the 20 largest white diamonds in the world in the last eight years.