Diamond industry veteran and founder of the Rapaport Diamond Report, Martin Rapaport, is expected to step down from his position in the World Diamond Council (WDC), the organization devoted to the fight against conflict diamonds, over the industry's struggle with Zimbabwe's violations of Kimberley Process directives.



According to an email obtained by the National Jeweler, Rapaport announced his plans to step down from the World Diamond Council over what he called his personal frustrations with the Kimberley Process.

Zimbabwe has been making diamond industry headlines recently over alleged human rights violations taking place in the diamond fields of the country's Marange district.

The Kimberley Process has been criticized for the way it has been handling the situation in Zimbabwe.