Last week's arrest of two Indian citizens for allegedly smuggling $2 million worth of uncertified diamonds from Zimbabwe's Marange diamond fields has prompted calls for Zimbabwe's Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu to resign.

On Thursday, the Centre for Research and Development (CRD) – an NGO that investigates and publicizes human rights violations in Zimbabwe – published a statement saying that Mpofu had failed to implement the joint work plan formulated by the Zimbabwean government and the Kimberley Process.

According to the CRD, rough diamonds in the quantity seized last week's by the Indian authorities (some 48,000 carats) could only have been smuggled out of Zimbabwe with the knowledge of influential members of the mining industry and the government. Following the incident, diamond industry activist Farai Maguwu told the Voice of America that the illegally traded diamonds were coming from the firms licensed by the Zimbabwean government to mine in Marange and that there was a "lack of political will" to prevent smuggling.

Mpofu, for his part, has asked India to take tough action against the alleged smugglers. The Times of India quoted the minister saying that Zimbabwe was "working tirelessly to curb cases of [minerals] smuggling, including diamonds."