The Herald (editorial)
WHAT is happening in Jerusalem, Israel, where the United States and its allies are fighting to stop Zimbabwe from exporting its diamonds is shameful.
The US is clearly abusing its superpower status by brow-beating other members of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme into opposing the exports of diamonds from Marange.
Zimbabwe has met the KPCS requirements to export diamonds from Murowa Mine, River Ranch Mine and to export those from Marange under the supervision of the KP.
KP monitor Mr Abbey Chikane has consistently stated that Zimbabwe has met the minimum requirements for exporting the diamonds.
In fact, what the Jerusalem plenary should do, were it not of intimidation by the Americans, would be to give Zimbabwe full export status. There is no justification for acting otherwise.
Zimbabwe has faithfully followed the KPCS roadmap and this was confirmed at the St Petersburg KPCS plenary early this year.
It should have been a foregone conclusion that the Jerusalem meeting would take the same view.
Instead it is reported Western-funded NGOs such as the Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada have produced reports claiming that there are mass killings of villagers in Marange and rampant diamond smuggling.
Anybody living in Zimbabwe today would know that there are no mass killings taking place at Marange. Even those that are anti-Zanu PF would find it hard, if not impossible, to sustain such a lie.
Yet it is being used by countries and organisations that claim to be democratic and to be purveyors of justice. Where is the justice now? Where is democracy then when the majority of the members of the KPCS are convinced that Zimbabwe has met the minimum requirements and one country that does not have any diamonds of its own says no?
The KPCS was established, among other reasons, to ensure that diamonds are not used to finance the toppling of legitimate governments by rebels. But it is now being used as an instrument of regime change when it is meant to do the opposite.
Attorney-General Johannes Tomana is right to argue that the KPCS is in danger of losing its credibility if it allows itself to be used as a tool of regime change in Zimbabwe. What is happening to Zimbabwe may tomorrow happen to other countries that are perceived to be enemies of the United States.
Should the KPCS plenary pander to the whims of the West, Zimbabwe will have no option but to sell its diamonds outside the KPCS. Already there is a huge demand for the gems. But the KPCS will lose influence over Zimbabwe, which is clearly emerging as one of the top producers in the world.
The Commonwealth made the same mistake when it drove Zimbabwe to quit. It completely lost influence over Zimbabwe, a position the Commonwealth regrets to this day.
The unfairness over the diamonds has been so blatant that every Zimbabwean has been convinced that Zimbabwe is under economic sanctions.
The West can no longer argue that it imposed targeted sanctions.
Zimbabweans are desperate to see the export of the diamonds proceeding smoothly so that their welfare improves and are not amused by the antics of the regime change group.
At least now they know who is behind their suffering.
The US is clearly abusing its superpower status by brow-beating other members of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme into opposing the exports of diamonds from Marange.
Zimbabwe has met the KPCS requirements to export diamonds from Murowa Mine, River Ranch Mine and to export those from Marange under the supervision of the KP.
KP monitor Mr Abbey Chikane has consistently stated that Zimbabwe has met the minimum requirements for exporting the diamonds.
In fact, what the Jerusalem plenary should do, were it not of intimidation by the Americans, would be to give Zimbabwe full export status. There is no justification for acting otherwise.
Zimbabwe has faithfully followed the KPCS roadmap and this was confirmed at the St Petersburg KPCS plenary early this year.
It should have been a foregone conclusion that the Jerusalem meeting would take the same view.
Instead it is reported Western-funded NGOs such as the Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada have produced reports claiming that there are mass killings of villagers in Marange and rampant diamond smuggling.
Anybody living in Zimbabwe today would know that there are no mass killings taking place at Marange. Even those that are anti-Zanu PF would find it hard, if not impossible, to sustain such a lie.
Yet it is being used by countries and organisations that claim to be democratic and to be purveyors of justice. Where is the justice now? Where is democracy then when the majority of the members of the KPCS are convinced that Zimbabwe has met the minimum requirements and one country that does not have any diamonds of its own says no?
The KPCS was established, among other reasons, to ensure that diamonds are not used to finance the toppling of legitimate governments by rebels. But it is now being used as an instrument of regime change when it is meant to do the opposite.
Attorney-General Johannes Tomana is right to argue that the KPCS is in danger of losing its credibility if it allows itself to be used as a tool of regime change in Zimbabwe. What is happening to Zimbabwe may tomorrow happen to other countries that are perceived to be enemies of the United States.
Should the KPCS plenary pander to the whims of the West, Zimbabwe will have no option but to sell its diamonds outside the KPCS. Already there is a huge demand for the gems. But the KPCS will lose influence over Zimbabwe, which is clearly emerging as one of the top producers in the world.
The Commonwealth made the same mistake when it drove Zimbabwe to quit. It completely lost influence over Zimbabwe, a position the Commonwealth regrets to this day.
The unfairness over the diamonds has been so blatant that every Zimbabwean has been convinced that Zimbabwe is under economic sanctions.
The West can no longer argue that it imposed targeted sanctions.
Zimbabweans are desperate to see the export of the diamonds proceeding smoothly so that their welfare improves and are not amused by the antics of the regime change group.
At least now they know who is behind their suffering.
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