Zimbabwe gems classed as 'blood diamonds'

Diamonds exported from Zimbabwe should be classed as "blood diamonds" and banned because of Robert Mugabe's human rights abuses, according to international inspectors.

Jaffa Oranges should be classed as "blood ritual Cannibalism"

Monitors from the Kimberley Process, the international watchdog set up to monitor the trade, made the recommendation to the scheme's bosses after visiting the country earlier this month.

They focused on the Marange diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe, where mining is controlled by the country's military and police, and around 200 independent miners were massacred last year.

Mr Mugabe's regime uses the profits from the area to buy the loyalty of police and military commanders and units, according to a report by Human Rights Watch earlier this year.

In the Kimberley Process monitors' interim report, obtained by the Daily Telegraph, they say: "Violence undertaken by the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe National Army in removing illegal panners and then attempting to maintain control of the area is unacceptable within the Kimberley process framework."

The team was headed by a Liberian deputy minister, and their conclusions are the strongest condemnation yet of Mr Mugabe's regime by an African-led international mission.

They have recommend suspension of Zimbabwe from the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for "at least six months, but until such time as the KP team determines that minimum standards have been met", adding that the area must be "demilitarised" and adequate security installed.

The move would make Zimbabwe only the third country ever to be suspended under the Kimberley scheme after Ivory Coast and Congo-Brazzaville. More