The Rapaport Diamond Trading Network (RapNet), based in NY, has instructed its members to boycott diamonds originating from the Marange district mines in Zimbabwe, despite the fact that the Kimberley Process has approved their trade. In fact, RapNet has gone so far as to suggest that anyone who violates the diamond boycott will be expelled and/or blacklisted.
The Marange district diamond mines in Zimbabwe have been extremely controversial. There have been countless claims of human rights violations by mine directors and government officials in the Marange diamond district. These claims led the Kimberley Process to suspend Zimbabwe’s diamond trading rights and commence an investigation. After several months of suspension, the Kimberley Process announced last month that Zimbabwe could begin producing and trading a limited number of rough stones from these controversial mines.
According to a statement issued by RapNet, even if trading rough diamonds from the Marange mines in Zimbabwe is officially legal and permitted by the Kimberley Process, anyone possessing or selling the diamonds could face US or European sanctions. RapNet suspects ongoing human rights abuses in the Marange fields and refuses to support any possible foul play.
Human Rights Watch maintains that the Zimbabwe government still has not kept its word to withdraw all soldiers from the Marange diamond fields, and in May reported that conditions there were “quite appalling”.
Last week, under supervision of the Kimberley Process, an estimated 900,000 carats of Marange diamonds were auctioned off for a reported $72 million United States Dollars. This was the first public sale of diamonds from the Marange fields since Zimbabwe’s suspension in November. Despite the reported sum, Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Tendai Biti claimed that after reconciliation fees and other unspecified fees, the government would be left with less than a third of the sum.
RapNet has asked that all of its members demand written confirmation from all of their vendors that their
diamonds are not from the Marange mines.
According to the RapNet statement, “RapNet will not allow the trading of any diamonds sourced from Marange, Zimbabwe. Members found to have knowingly offered Marange diamonds for sale on RapNet will be expelled and their names will be publicly communicated.”
