Is Zimbabwe in the Kimberley Process or out? That has been the big question in the diamond industry in recent weeks, mostly among those involved in the initial stages of the diamond supply chain – diamond mining and the rough diamond trade.

This may come as a surprise, but the bottom line is that Zimbabwe is still in the Kimberley Process – NOT because it has implemented any new diamond mining and diamond trading policies, but merely because suspending a country from the process is a difficult procedure that cannot be executed immediately. Apparently, a decision must be obtained unanimously in order to implement such suspension. For the time being, several members of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme object to the suspension, including Namibia which is currently represented by Chairman of the Kimberley Committee, Bernhard Esau.

The main arguments against Zimbabwe’s diamond industry have to do with events in the Marange diamond mining region in the eastern part of the country. Last summer, many independent diamond miners arrived in the area, looking for diamonds and trading them illegally. The government of Zimbabwe sent troops in order to break up this activity, which led to riots and the death of approximately 200 people. Many human rights groups have expressed radical criticism against Zimbabwe’s government and have constantly addressed the global diamond industry, asking that it to take radical steps against Zimbabwe’s diamond industry.

One of the compromised suggestions offered by several Kimberley Process members was to suspend Zimbabwe temporarily for 6 months. During this time, Zimbabwe must implement new policies, making diamond mining more legitimate, without illegal diamond miners or corrupt military officials taking advantage of Marange’s natural resources.

Meanwhile, without waiting for the final verdict of the Kimberley Process committee, most reputable diamond mining companies are avoiding the initiation of any new projects in Zimbabwe, fearing that such involvement will damage their reputation in the diamond industry. Recently, a South African diamond mining company called “New Reclamation” has started mining in Marange, not without receiving strong criticism for this action.

So what does the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme expect from Zimbabwe? Mainly not to have diamond mining associated with any offensive or aggressive events. The diamond industry has been bombarded with criticism in recent years due to the “blood diamonds” phenomenon, which led to the establishment of the Kimberley Process and ‘washing’ the blood off the internationally traded diamonds. The diamond industry simply cannot allow Zimbabwe to make diamonds synonymous with conflict again.

Human rights organizations may not care much about diamonds, but they certainly hope that Zimbabwe’s suspension from the Kimberley Process will force the government of Zimbabwe to take positive action and peacefully relieve the tension in the Marange region.

And what does Zimbabwe’s government have to say? According to the country’s leaders, the foreign request that it remove troops from the Marange region is simply unrealistic, since it will only be able to do so only when foreign enterprises mining for diamonds in the area hire a sustainable security staff which will assure that no illegal diamond trading by local residents takes place.

So currently Zimbabwe’s position is quite complex with its rough diamond industry entangled in both the politics of its own government and foreign diamond enterprises. Though only politics within the Kimberley Committee can disable the suspension of Zimbabwe, it seems that accepting it as a full member of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme in the near future is also impossible, as a new source of trouble is absolutely not welcomed by leading diamond mining companies.