From the National Jewelers network
New York--A coalition of industry associations and representatives recently met with top U.S. State Department officials to urge a tough stance on diamond producers in Zimbabwe to ensure the country's allegedly conflict-ridden Marange area is being monitored in accordance with the Kimberley Process.
According to a news release, the industry representatives want to see the U.S. government, and the governments of other nations involved in the Kimberley Process (KP), implement a "joint work plan" aimed at bringing Zimbabwe into full compliance with the process. Those involved in the KP, which is designed to stem the flow of conflict diamonds worldwide, developed a plan at their last meeting in Namibia, which addressed issues of non-compliance and human rights abuses reportedly taking place in Zimbabwe's diamond-producing Marange district.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
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It is good to see that representatives from the diamond industry have been expressing concern to U.S. officials, but the industry has to do more than go through the motions. Last fall, when the Kimberley Process opted to continue certifying diamonds from Zimbabwe--even though those diamonds are "conflict" or "blood" diamonds by any reasonable definition-- the World Diamond Council (WDC) supported the decision. Diamond industry veteran Martin Rapoport has recently resigned from the WDC in protest. If abuses in Zimbabwe and elsewhere are to stop, the diamond industry must stand firm against blood diamonds. - GK, www.brilliantearth.com
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