Swiss Group Urges Ban on Marange Diamonds from Zimbabwe

By Joel ScanlonDec 7 2010

Zimbabwe will not see itself free to sell its controversial Marange field diamonds if the Swiss have their way. An international development organization called “Bread for All” located in Switzerland said that the definition of “Blood Diamonds” needed to be amended to include human rights violations by government forces.

The organization which is backed by protestant churches in Switzerland said that the current definition refers to the rebel forces only and is a loophole which allows the Harare government to market the controversial diamonds under the Kimberley Process.

Bread for All is the local partner of Zimbabwe Advocacy Office which has been reporting ongoing human rights violations in Zimbabwe’s Chiadzwa and Marange diamond mines. Marlon Zakeyo, the head of the Zimbabwe Advocacy Office in Geneva said that the country was an important jewellery centre, but it was also known as a centre for human rights. The Swiss government is also a key partner in the Kimberly Process which deals with international diamond trading.

Bread for All wants the definition to not just include the rough stones that are traded by rebel forces illegally but also those diamonds which come from areas where the government forces have committed human rights violations. If this happens it would be nearly impossible for Zimbabwe to sell the diamonds internationally.