Conflict Diamonds & Kimberley Process
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Transcript of Conflict Diamonds & Kimberley Process
Blood Diamonds
& the
Kimberley Process
Definitions
Conclusion & Solutions
Assessment of the Kimberley Process
Summary for the Case
Discussion Questions
The Kimberley Process (KP): an international certification scheme that regulates trade in rough diamonds.
Core mission of KP: Prevent the flow of conflict diamonds
Definitions
Conflict diamonds captured the world's attention during the
extremely brutal conflict in Sierra Leone in the late 1990s.
Rebel groups were seizing control of diamond mining regions
and exchange diamonds for money and weapons.
Similar stories in Angola, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of
Congo and other African nations
By some estimated, 6 million civilians were forced from their
home and 3.7 million died in these African conflicts.
In 1998, Global Witness, a British NGO, took the lead in
exposing the problem to the public
Discussion Case
In 2000, De Beers Corp. – the world’s leading seller of
diamonds readily acknowledged that conflict diamonds were
a problem.
Discussion Case
Established a new organization
– World Diamond Council, to
bring together diamond
companies, government
representatives & other interested
parties.
In 2003, the diamond industry’s response
came in the form of a new diamond
certification scheme called the Kimberley
Process.
By 2009, 74 diamond-producing countries
that participate in the Kimberley Process
agree to trade rough diamonds only with
other countries in the organization.
Discussion Case
Q1: What are conflict diamonds? What groups benefited from the trade in conflict
diamonds? What groups were hurt by it? Conflict diamonds are gemstones that are mined or stolen by
rebels fighting internationally recognized government & that is sold to fund military action against that government.
Groups benefited: Combatants in Africa civil wars, Groups were hurt: • Local communities in civil war areas; • Countries with legitimate diamond industries
(Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Canada & Australia);• Countries with large retail operations • Diamond Corporations – the retailer and manufacturer of diamonds
Questions & Answers
Q2: What three sectors were concerned with the problem of conflict diamonds? What was the interest of each, & in what ways did their interests converge?
Three sectors were concerned: the government, the diamond companies, & Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
Each sector has its own benefits:• The governments want to keep the power in their nations as well
as the control of the mines to finance their operations against the rebels in civil wars.
• The diamond companies and the diamond-producing nations only concern in remaining & increasing the sales of diamonds
• NGOs are concerned with the main purposes - Eliminating Conflict Diamonds & Resolving the Humanitarian Crisis.
Questions & Answers
Q3: Do you believe that any of these sectors could have addressed the problem of conflict diamonds unilaterally? Why or why not?
It is difficult to deal with the problem unilaterally because it is a
really complicated problem with the different concerns of these
sectors. Moreover, diamond is the most precious mineral that
brings huge profit for the businesses and diamond-producing
countries. To hold the control of valuable mineral resources as
well as create the most valuable sales, the civil wars in many
African countries have devastated these for a long time and
created serious humanitarian crisis.
Questions & Answers
Q4: What are the possible weaknesses in the Kimberley Process? What role do you think the three sectors will have in addressing these weaknesses?
The possible weaknesses of KP:• KP only cared about the rough diamonds and largely ignored the
diamond cutting & polishing industry, providing an entry point for conflict gems.
• Smuggled diamonds from conflict zones in Kimberley Process member countries
The three sectors play equally the key role in addressing these weaknesses. If there is no cooperation among them to take decisive action together, the problems could not be solved.
Questions & Answers
Significant Achievements: Pioneered a tripartite approach to solve
international problems• Sierra Leone, Angola & the Democratic Republic of the
Congo achieved the peace from rebels in civil wars
Helped some countries in increasing their official diamond revenues.• Examples: Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania & South Africa
Assessment
Kimberley Process Criticism:
o The definition of “conflict diamonds” used by
KP only covers rough diamonds funding rebel
armies in areas of conflict.
This is not a complete & universal definition
Assessment
Kimberley Process Criticism: o Diamonds tainted by human rights abuse are
widely sold and certified as "conflict free.”o KP does not take any action when hundreds of
people including children have been killed, many more have been beaten, raped and forced to mine for the army and police.
Assessment
Kimberley Process Failure:
o Fails to deal effectively with
problem case, such as Zimbabwe,
Côte d’ Ivories (Ivory Coast) &
Venezuela
o Still supports for violence & human
rights abuse
o Allow conflict diamonds into the
international market
Assessment
Reason for the Kimberley Process Failure: Lack of controls No requirement for traceability to their mine of origin,
governments often give Kimberley Process certification to diamonds with unknown histories –
making it easy to smuggle banned diamonds or evade taxes for non-declared diamonds or other illicit gems.
Failed to regulate the diamond supply chain. Most warrantees for clean diamonds do not provide any
meaningful assurances.
Assessment
Same definition, Same statistics for over a decade?
No refusal for happening problems anymore Need to reform & take a real action for blood
diamonds around the world
Conclusion
Making the real change besides only giving the statement of expansion of its mission – “systematic acts of violence against communities that are directly associated with diamonds”, even for non-civil war areas (WDC, 2013)
Building international standards on minerals supply chain controls,
E.g.: independent third party audits & regular public disclosure creating independent & reliable verification of the
diamond warranty system Putting the standards into laws
Solutions for KP to reform
Armstrong, P. (2011, December 5). What are ‘conflict diamonds?’. CNN. Retrieved October 25, 2014, from
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/05/world/africa/conflict-diamonds-explainer/ Effort to Control. Brilliant Earth. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from
http://www.brilliantearth.com/kimberley-process/ Leggett, T. (2011, December 5). Global Witness leave Kimberley Process
diamond scheme. The BBC. Retrieved October 25, 2014, from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16027011 World Diamond Council. (2013, November 19). Kimberley Process depended
appreciation of diamonds’ positive role in Africa economic development, WDC president tells KP plenary. World Diamond Council. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from
https://www.worlddiamondcouncil.org/index.php/news/293-kimberley-process-deepened-appreciation-of-diamonds-positive-role-in-africa-s-economic-development-wdc-president-tells-kp-plenary
Reference