29 June 2009
Johannesburg — Signatories to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) - an international initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds - restated their commitment to the scheme at the close of a three-day meeting in Namibia on 26 June, but campaigners warned that more action, not talk, was needed now.
"There were some useful discussions ... [but] it is not possible to be more positive unless governments take concrete action," said Amy Barry, spokesperson for Global Witness (GW), a UK-based NGO that seeks to prevent the use of natural resources to fuel conflict, and a prime mover in setting up the KPCS.
The cooperative effort by government, industry and civil society imposes extensive requirements on its members before allowing them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as "conflict-free".
But discontent in civil society organizations has grown steadily since the scheme was launched in January 2003, that not enough was being done to stampout the illicit stones, also called 'blood diamonds'.
"In theory there are structures in place; it is now a question of political will in implementing them," commented Elly Harrowell, assistant campaigner at GW.
The Kimberly Process
In December 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution supporting an international certification scheme for rough diamonds.
The Kimberley Process (KP) began when Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, in May 2000, to discuss ways to stop the trade in "conflict diamonds", to ensure that the sale of rough diamonds did not fund violence.
Rebel movements in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone were using rough diamonds to finance conflict in their own or sometimes neighbouring countries.
By November 2002, negotiations between governments, the international diamond industry and civil society organizations led to the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).
The KPCS document sets out the requirements for controlling rough diamond production and trade, and came into force in 2003, when participating countries started implementing its rules.
Participating states must put in place national legislation and institutions; export, import and internal controls; and commit to transparency and the exchange of statistical data.
The KP has 49 members, representing 75 countries, and accounts for some 99.8 percent of the global production of rough diamonds.
Participating countries and industry and civil society observers gather twice a year at intersessional and plenary meetings, as well as getting together regularly in working groups and committees.
Implementation is monitored by means of "review visits" and annual reports, as well as the regular exchange and analysis of statistical data.
A statement by a coalition of civil society organizations, including GW, Partnership Africa Canada, and Green Advocates, called on governments to "translate the positive discussions ... into strong commitments and concrete actions to close the loopholes that continue to compromise the effectiveness of the Kimberley Process."
In particular, they emphasized the need for KPCS signatory governments and working groups to investigate statistical anomalies and illicit cross-border trade between participants more promptly.
"We urge participant governments to strengthen internal controls and improve monitoring systems in producing countries, but also in trading and cutting and polishing centres," said Susanne Emond of Partnership Africa Canada.
According to GW's Harrowell, information on the flow of stones into and out of major cutting and polishing centres, like Surat in India and Antwerp in Belgium, was still very limited, creating a possible entry point for conflict diamonds into the legitimate multimillion-dollar market. "Once just one side of a diamond is polished it is no longer covered by the KPCS," she pointed out.
First test
A significant concern ahead of the meeting was the need for KPCS participant governments "to address cases of serious non-compliance by some members; in particular, campaigners sounded the alarm about the human rights abuses, militarization of mining and diamond smuggling taking place in Zimbabwe's diamond sector."
Human Rights Watch, an international watchdog, published a report on 26 June that claimed massive human rights violations were taking place in Zimbabwe's Marange diamond fields.
The report documented how the police and army used force "to control access to the diamond fields, and to take over unlicensed diamond mining and trading". President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party was accused of profiting from the alleged abuses. A KPCS team is visiting the country to probe the alleged illegal diamond trade.
GW's Annie Dunnebacke said, "We sincerely hope that the upcoming Kimberley Process review mission to Zimbabwe is given unfettered access to the sites and people it needs to see. We urge the government ... to fulfil its pledge to guarantee the safety of all individuals and groups."
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
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