AAG castigates NGOs’ stance on diamonds

actively demonising the local diamond sector.
AAG chief executive Dr Davison Gomo said such efforts by these organisations were misdirected as they were aimed at immobilising the country’s capacity to meet its needs from its own resources.
“It is no longer a secret that the demonisation of our diamonds, particularly those from Chiadzwa, is not innocent, but rather carefully managed propaganda.
“We should minimise the reliance on information coming from agencies of imperialism represented by NGOs that are doing the dirty work for their masters.
“These organisations champion themselves as human rights protectors, create an impression that Zimbabwe is about to crush under the weight of misgovernance and its saviours are supposed to be these unelected and undemocratic institutions masquerading as philanthropic organisations,” he said.
Some NGOs and civil society organisations have been campaigning for decertification of diamonds mined in the Chiadzwa fields on unsubstantiated allegations of human rights violations.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) has since given Zimbabwe the go-ahead in respect of unconditional international trade. Nonetheless, the organisations in question have taken the initiative to oppose the country’s right to sell its gems.
Dr Gomo added that it was most likely that these organisations were playing this role at the behest of foreign elements.
“No sensible Zimbabwean will support activities that dehumanise our people, degrade our environment and perpetuate undemocratic practices.
“Any co-operation with European organisations that reduces our chance to realise our own dreams and seeks to control our resources and to dictate to us how we govern ourselves must be thrown away into a political dustbin.
“Control of our resources and ownership of our political ideas and systems is the only way that guarantees us a secure and prosperous Zimbabwe,” he said.
Since the discovery of the Chiadzwa gems, the local diamond sector has assumed a strategic significance to the country’s economy.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe figures show that in the first half of this year, the country exported 716 958,50 carats from its alluvial diamond mines in Marange.
Over the past 12 months, the price of gems has ranged between US$5 000 for top quality gems and US$1 300 for low grade gems, with the average for industrial gems standing at US$200 at the least.
The Government has already moved to absorb the proceeds from diamond sales into the fiscus, especially with respect to improving civil servants wages but also critical projects financing.
Government expenditure in recent years has been minimal as a result of a lack of fiscal space, which has protracted the liquidity crunch that was ushered in by the adoption of a multi-currency system in 2009.