Surat s diamond polishing traders have supported the president of International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) Moti Ganz, who has urged world diamond community and the Kimberley Process (KP) to include Zimbabwe s rough diamonds in the legitimate diamond pipeline.
Ganz said by not allowing the diamond mined in the so-called controversial Marange diamond mines in Zimbabwe to be traded legitimately, the industry will be setting the scene for an untenable situation in the rough market.
We need to do this to better the lives of the people of Zimbabwe. We need to do so immediately because the release of the vast quantities of rough diamonds that are accumulating into the diamond pipeline all at once will cause a catastrophe in the market, said Ganz.
Industry sources said the fast recovery in the diamond market after the global economic slowdown in 2008 was largely due to the fact that Surat diamantaires processed Zimbabwe diamonds. It is the Zimbabwe diamonds which is still helping the industry to sustain its growth in Surat.
Surat s diamantaires are finding themselves to be pawns in a game between governments and NGOs. It is the need of hour for the world participants to put aside political agendas and clear Zimbabwe for selling its rough.
Only Surat can manufacture the Zimbabwe diamonds. Even if the KP doesn t permit the legitimate sale of Zimbabwe diamonds, they will still come to the market here through various other channels. This will then lead to a major catastrophe for the global diamond industry.
Ganz said by not allowing the diamond mined in the so-called controversial Marange diamond mines in Zimbabwe to be traded legitimately, the industry will be setting the scene for an untenable situation in the rough market.
We need to do this to better the lives of the people of Zimbabwe. We need to do so immediately because the release of the vast quantities of rough diamonds that are accumulating into the diamond pipeline all at once will cause a catastrophe in the market, said Ganz.
Industry sources said the fast recovery in the diamond market after the global economic slowdown in 2008 was largely due to the fact that Surat diamantaires processed Zimbabwe diamonds. It is the Zimbabwe diamonds which is still helping the industry to sustain its growth in Surat.
Surat s diamantaires are finding themselves to be pawns in a game between governments and NGOs. It is the need of hour for the world participants to put aside political agendas and clear Zimbabwe for selling its rough.
Only Surat can manufacture the Zimbabwe diamonds. Even if the KP doesn t permit the legitimate sale of Zimbabwe diamonds, they will still come to the market here through various other channels. This will then lead to a major catastrophe for the global diamond industry.
