20100608
Radio France Internationale

In a surprise announcement, the Kimberley Process, the body set up to combat the trade in blood diamonds, has said that Zimbabwe complies with its minimum requirements and should be allowed to export its diamonds.

South Africa's Abbey Chikane, the Kimberly Process monitor, says he's ready to supervise the export of rough diamonds from Chiadzwa in eastern Zimbabwe.

Security breaches at the fields were a big concern, but now Chikane says security is better than that found in mines in Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and even South Africa.

The export process was halted last year, following reports that the Zimbabwean military was imposing forced labour and beating civilians. Zimbabwe was given until June this year to end human rights abuses in the diamond fields.

It hasn't been allowed to export any diamonds from the area, which annoyed President Robert Mugabe's side of government, as it has been mining diamonds it cannot sell.

The authorities appeared to be expecting a negative report from Chikane. They accused the US of trying to manipulate the Kimberley Process against Zimbabwe.

Police even arrested Farai Maguwu, the head of a local diamond watchdog that has been highly critical of the government, for meeting with Chikane.

The monitor's recommendation will need to be discussed, at a meeting of the Kimberley Process in Israel later this month, before exports can officially go ahead.