Kimberley Process

An early proponent of the United Nations effort to prevent so-called blood diamonds from reaching global markets announced Sunday that it was quitting the oversight group to protest the sale of uncut gems from Zimbabwe, which is accused of human rights abuses in one of its largest diamond fields. The withdrawal of the Global Witness watchdog group from the Kimberley Process certification program, which is governed by diamond-trading nations, highlights growing problems in the system set up in 2003 to stop sales of rough diamonds from African war zones.

When diamond fields were discovered in eastern Zimbabwe six years ago, the revelation raised hope that the gems could change the economic fortunes of the impoverished country. Instead, the prized stones have been looted from the Marange fields to enrich elites and criminals, “perhaps the biggest plunder of diamonds since Cecil Rhodes,” a new report asserts. Under the watch of Mining Minister Obert Mpofu, hundreds of millions of dollars that could have gone to the state treasury have evaporated, said Partnership Africa Canada, a watchdog group based in Ottawa.

Human rights groups and Western countries fear that a new batch of what they consider to be "blood diamonds" is about to enter international markets, culled from vast deposits in Zimbabwe. At stake is what happens to the Marange deposits in eastern Zimbabwe, believed to be the biggest diamond find in a generation, and the definition of what kind of diamonds should be kept out of international markets. Current restrictions on diamond sales are meant to ensure that consumers are not inadvertently funding wars in Africa.

An early proponent of the United Nations effort to prevent so-called blood diamonds from reaching global markets announced Sunday that it was quitting the oversight group to protest the sale of uncut gems from Zimbabwe, which is accused of human rights abuses in one of its largest diamond fields. The withdrawal of the Global Witness watchdog group from the Kimberley Process certification program, which is governed by diamond-trading nations, highlights growing problems in the system set up in 2003 to stop sales of rough diamonds from African war zones.

The international organization that monitors conflict diamonds has agreed to allow Zimbabwe to export diamonds from its vast Marange mining fields despite rampant human rights abuses in the area. The decision by the Kimberley Process — as the regulatory group governed by diamond-trading nations is known — threatens an end to world consensus over blocking so-called blood diamonds from the market and makes it impossible for consumers to have confidence that the diamonds they buy did not contribute to violence, said some participants in the group's meeting this week in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PITTING the diamond industry against a Hollywood film may make for a good story ["Crystallizing Opinion," by Elizabeth Snead," Oct. 10]. Unfortunately, it is not supported by the facts. Contrary to what your story suggested, the De Beers Group has no issue with the forthcoming movie "Blood Diamond." For one thing, we have not seen it. For another, to the extent that it increases public awareness of the historical events in Sierra Leone in the 1990s, we believe this movie could help us achieve one of our primary goals -- full industry compliance with what is called the Kimberley Process.

When diamond fields were discovered in eastern Zimbabwe six years ago, the revelation raised hope that the gems could change the economic fortunes of the impoverished country. Instead, the prized stones have been looted from the Marange fields to enrich elites and criminals, “perhaps the biggest plunder of diamonds since Cecil Rhodes,” a new report asserts. Under the watch of Mining Minister Obert Mpofu, hundreds of millions of dollars that could have gone to the state treasury have evaporated, said Partnership Africa Canada, a watchdog group based in Ottawa.

Some people wait years before their creative talents are recognized. Robert Keith waited less than 24 hours. It was 2005 and Keith, a fashion photographer looking for a new challenge, had just made his first piece of fine jewelry: a gold ring that looked like a miniature version of a ship's anchor chain. "I was so proud of it, I put it on my finger and I went down the street the next day to a Starbucks," Keith said, "and a lady tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'Excuse me, where did you get that ring?

When "Blood Diamond" came out in 2006, it raised consciousness about the stones that are used to pay for war. The question became: Can you know when you buy a diamond that the uncut stone was conflict free? As it turns out, nations around the globe were addressing the issue long before the movie, set in Sierra Leone during its civil war in 1999. Progress has been made, thanks largely to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. "Less than 0.

As Americans flock to stores for holiday shopping, some plan to buy diamonds for loved ones. But that special gift could have a bloody past. If the diamonds are from Zimbabwe, the stones could have been mined under the control of Zimbabwe's army, which Human Rights Watch found has killed more than 200 people, engaged in torture and used forced labor, including children, in the nation's Marange diamond fields. The good news is that U.S. consumers can help expose and shut down the illegal trade in these diamonds.

The international organization that monitors conflict diamonds has agreed to allow Zimbabwe to export diamonds from its vast Marange mining fields despite rampant human rights abuses in the area. The decision by the Kimberley Process — as the regulatory group governed by diamond-trading nations is known — threatens an end to world consensus over blocking so-called blood diamonds from the market and makes it impossible for consumers to have confidence that the diamonds they buy did not contribute to violence, said some participants in the group's meeting this week in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Human rights groups and Western countries fear that a new batch of what they consider to be "blood diamonds" is about to enter international markets, culled from vast deposits in Zimbabwe. At stake is what happens to the Marange deposits in eastern Zimbabwe, believed to be the biggest diamond find in a generation, and the definition of what kind of diamonds should be kept out of international markets. Current restrictions on diamond sales are meant to ensure that consumers are not inadvertently funding wars in Africa.

PITTING the diamond industry against a Hollywood film may make for a good story ["Crystallizing Opinion," by Elizabeth Snead," Oct. 10]. Unfortunately, it is not supported by the facts. Contrary to what your story suggested, the De Beers Group has no issue with the forthcoming movie "Blood Diamond." For one thing, we have not seen it. For another, to the extent that it increases public awareness of the historical events in Sierra Leone in the 1990s, we believe this movie could help us achieve one of our primary goals -- full industry compliance with what is called the Kimberley Process.

The Senate unanimously approved a bill Thursday to ban the importing of uncut diamonds that help fund African civil wars. The legislation is necessary for the U.S. to take part in an international agreement to curb trade in so-called conflict diamonds. The House passed a nearly identical bill Tuesday, but slight differences in the two pieces of legislation need to be worked out before a bill can be sent to President Bush for his signature.