VZCZCXRO2072
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHWD #0085 0651253
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061253Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0394
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L WINDHOEK 000085 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EEB (BBROOKS-RUBIN), AF/S (EPELLETREAU AND BWALCH), AND 
AF/EPS (MZIKRY) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2019 
TAGS: ASEC EMIN ETRD ETTC PHUM PREL ECON WA
SUBJECT: NAMIBIA: KP CHAIR ON ZIMBABWE'S ILLICIT DIAMONDS 
 
REF: A. STATE 18545 
     ¶B. WINDHOEK 82 
 
Classified By: DCM Matt Harrington for 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
- - - - 
Summary 
- - - - 
 
¶1. (C)  On March 6, econoff delivered reftel A demarche to 
Vicky Dan, assistant to the Kimberley Process (KP) Chair 
Bernhardt Esau.  The KP Chair's visit to Zimbabwe from March 
14-18 will go forward with a mainly Namibian contingent, 
without members from civil society, but perhaps 
representatives from Angola and South Africa.  When pressed 
on the human rights abuses perpetrated by Robert Mugabe's 
military as it profits from Zimbabwe's illicit diamond trade, 
Dan explained that the KP Chair wishes to address the problem 
without getting "diverted into the political issues."  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (C)  In our March 6 meeting, Ms. Dan is the KP Chair's 
designee to the Working Group on Monitoring (WGM).  Esau and 
his KP Coordinator Cecilie Mbundu were unavailable to receive 
the demarche.  Dan explained that she would accompany Esau, 
Mbundu, and  Namibian Diamond Commissioner Kennedy Hamutenya 
on the KP Chair's visit to Zimbabwe from March 14-18. 
Representatives from Angola and South Africa may also attend. 
 The visit will not be a formal KP review but will be a 
chance for the Chair to "see for himself" the situation on 
the ground in Zimbabwe, said Dan.  Initially, Dan mentioned 
the Chair's visit would be followed by a formal review 
mission to Zimbabwe in two to three months.  Later she 
backtracked and stated that a formal review might not happen 
prior to the June KP Intersessional Meeting, but "most 
definitely before the end of the year."  Dan mentioned that 
the KP Chair would issue a statement on Zimbabwe that day, 
although she declined to characterize what the statement 
would say. 
 
¶3. (C)  Econoff underscored that the human rights abuses 
surrounding the illicit diamond mining in Marange region 
undermined both the Kimberley Process and Zimbabwe's unity 
government.  Dan responded that the Chair has to look at the 
issue from the "KP perspective and not be diverted by 
political issues."  Econoff emphasized that the Marange 
region is under Zimbabwean military (not private) control 
which makes the situation inherently political.  Dan 
responded that if KP were to sanction or suspend Zimbabwe, 
the situation could "get much worse."  Suspending Zimbabwe 
from the KP would remove any leverage KP has over the 
Zimbabwean government, Dan contended. 
 
¶4. (C)  Dan acknowledged that several civil society 
organizations (Partnership Africa Canada particularly) 
strongly oppose the Chair's March 14-18 visit.  Econoff 
reminded Dan that KP is largely the result of civil society 
pressure on the diamond industry and that any issue that 
loses civil society buy-in risks tarnishing the KP (and 
implicitly Namibia's Chairmanship of the KP).  Econoff also 
stressed that the diamond companies of compliant KP partner 
countries, such as Namibia, suffer when other countries 
permit illicit smuggling of conflict diamonds. 
 
- - - - 
Comment 
- - - - 
 
¶5. (C)  As noted in reftel B, Namibian government (GRN) 
officials and members of the ruling SWAPO party have historic 
ties to Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF.  The GRN has to 
date avoided criticizing or taking action against Mugabe and 
his regime.  KP Chair Bernhardt Esau, who is also Namibia's 
Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, appears to be trying to 
reconcile his obligations to the KP without going astray of 
his government's policy on Zimbabwe, a balance that may be 
very difficult to achieve.  End Comment. 
 
- - - - - 
Bio Note 
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¶6. (C)  Dan has no background in the mining sector or 
diamonds.  She recently graduated from the University of 
Namibia (UNAM) with a double major in communications and 
sociology.  She appears bright and articulate, but 
acknowledged she is still learning about the Kimberley 
Process. 
MATHIEU