The African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) has sides with the Zimbabwean government in its fight against prolonging the year-long embargo of its diamond exports.



According to various media reports, the ADPA’s statement described ongoing attempts to delay such sales as “sinister attempts by the Kimberley Process (KP) to block trade in the country’s gems.”

ADPA Secretary General Edgar de Carvalho said that the decision to reinstate the ban on Zimbabwean diamonds was verging on political persecution: "Zimbabwe cannot be held to ransom just because a minority of countries within the KP continue to block consensus deliberately," he said.

Trade in diamonds harvested from Zimbabwe’s Marange fields has been effectively outlawed since November 2009, following grave concerns of human rights abuses.

Still, KP monitor Abbey Chikane allegedly cleared a batch of Chiadzwa stones for export last week without the watchdog’s approval.

Industry insiders believe some $160 million worth of diamonds were sold and may have been already exported, probably to India.