Showing Archived Posts

Rights Group Warns Diamonds Could Fuel Zimbabwe Violence

Posted February 15th, 2012 at 8:30 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

A human rights group has warned profits from Zimbabwe’s diamond fields could be used to fund violence in the country’s future elections. Global Witness reports that several directors of Anjin, a mining firm operating in the fields, are members of Zimbabwe’s military and police, which are loyal to longtime President Robert Mugabe. It says the […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

Global Witness Quits Kimberley Process

Posted December 5th, 2011 at 9:25 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Rights group Global Witness has quit the Kimberley Process, saying the program designed to stop the flow of so-called “blood diamonds” has failed. A founding director of Global Witness, Charmian Gooch, said Monday that after nearly nine years, consumers still cannot be sure where their diamonds came from and whether they helped finance armed violence […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

Zimbabwe to Sell Diamonds from Controversial Mine

Posted November 1st, 2011 at 6:30 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Zimbabwe has reached an agreement to sell diamonds mined from the country’s controversial Marange fields. The World Diamond Council says the deal was reached Tuesday at a meeting in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa. It was ratified by members of the Kimberley Process, a system to prevent so-called “blood diamonds” from reaching international markets. The agreement allows […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Africa, Economy

Zimbabwe to Sell Diamonds from Controversial Mine

Posted November 1st, 2011 at 12:30 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Zimbabwe has reached an agreement to sell diamonds mined from the country’s controversial Marange fields. The World Diamond Council says the deal was reached Tuesday at a meeting in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa. It was ratified by members of the Kimberley Process, a system to prevent so-called “blood diamonds” from reaching international markets. The agreement allows […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

Rights Groups Say Banks Enabling Trade in Blood Diamonds

Posted August 30th, 2011 at 1:20 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

A human rights group wants some major banks to reevaluate their ties to banks in Zimbabwe, saying the ties indirectly support the trade in so-called “blood diamonds.” Partnership Africa Canada says the banks, including Britain’s Barclays and South Africa’s Standard Bank, are not involved in the Zimbabwe diamond trade. But the organization says the banks […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Africa

Rights Groups Say Banks Enabling Trade in Blood Diamonds

Posted August 30th, 2011 at 10:20 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Human rights groups want some major banks to reevaluate their ties to banks in Zimbabwe, saying the relationships indirectly support the trade in so-called “blood diamonds.” Partnership Africa Canada says the banks, including Britain’s Barclays and South Africa’s Standard Bank, are not involved in the Zimbabwe diamond trade. But the group’s research director says they […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

Watchdog Group Divided Over Approval of Zimbabwe Diamond Exports

Posted June 24th, 2011 at 3:30 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

A global diamond monitoring group has found itself divided over a decision to allow Zimbabwe to sell diamonds from one of its controversial fields. The Kimberley Process, which aims to prevent so-called “conflict diamonds” from entering the market, has approved the sale of the Zimbabwe gems from its Marange field. However, the watchdog group is […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

Zimbabwe Shuns Kimberley Process Diamond Restrictions

Posted June 22nd, 2011 at 2:30 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Zimbabwe’s mining minister says he will no longer discuss whether his country can sell its diamonds, as international meetings on conflict diamonds continue this week. Mines Minister Obert Mpofu told VOA Zimbabwe has fully complied with international requests to improve its human rights conditions at the Marange diamond fields. He says Zimbabwe will resist attempts […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

Former Mandela Charity Chief Cleared in Blood Diamond Case

Posted June 15th, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

The former head of Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund in South Africa has been cleared of charges that he illegally possessed rough diamonds. A Johannesburg magistrate dismissed charges against Jeremy Ractliffe on Wednesday after hearing several hours of testimony. Possessing uncut diamonds without a permit is a crime in South Africa because of possible links to […]

Tags: , , Posted in Africa

Mozambique Speeds Up Diamond Controls Plan

Posted June 13th, 2011 at 8:50 am (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Mozambique says it is speeding up plans to join an international program designed to prevent the sale of so-called blood diamonds. The state-run Noticias newspaper reported Monday that the government hopes to join the Kimberley Process Certification program by December. Mining Minister Esperanca Bias said the government hopes to start mining diamonds soon and “should […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa

Calendar

December 2024
M T W T F S S
« Jan    
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  

Archives

Categories