In Resolution 55/56, dated Dec.1 2000, the UN General Assembly explicitly condoned the role that rough diamonds play in fuelling armed conflict, while clearly recognizing the critical contribution of diamonds to economic development in many countries, and the legitimacy of rough diamond production in the majority of cases. In response, the UN General Assembly committed to actively promote the Kimberley Certification Process, an African producing countries initiative to self-regulate the diamond production industry with certificates of origin.
Almost 20 years later, and at various junctions in between, the UN General Assembly has resolved to further support and strongly increase its participation in the Kimberly Certification process. According to Brilliant Earth, a well-known player in the diamond business, committed to ethically sourced fine jewelry: “seven African countries have endured brutal civil conflicts fueled by diamonds: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola, the Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo."
In the 2018 report titled The hidden costs of jewelry, the international NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) Human Rights Watch (HRW) examined the diamond and gold supply chain for 13 of the largest jewelry companies. HRW suggests that while large jewelry companies provide assurance that their diamonds are responsibly sourced, the companies do not generally provide information on the actual mines of origins. Indeed, the report uncovers that rough diamonds are traded many times before they are purchased by large jewelry companies. 70% are cut and polished in India due to lower costs.
Médecins sans frontières (Doctors without borders), the Nobel prize-winning nonprofit, is instrumental in documenting the devasting impact of insurgency conflicts, mentioned in UN Resolution 55/56, for example in the Kasai Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Included below, final touches to the Year 2015-2016 billboard for the Brilliant Earth Mobile Elementary School, founded by the Brilliant Earth jewelry company. The Brilliant Earth Mobile Elementary School is designed to provide an alternative to diamond seeking at the Lungudi diamond mine, for children of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kasai West Province, Lungudi Village.
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| Brilliant Earth Elementary Mobile School Lungudi Village, Kasai Province, Democratic Republic of Congo |
References
Armstrong, P. (Dec. 5, 2011). What are “conflict diamonds? CNN https://www.cnn.com/2011/12/05/world/africa/conflict-diamonds-explainer/index.html
Brilliant Earth
Brilliant Earth - Conflict diamonds - Violence
Brilliant Earth Elementary School (Democratic Republic of Congo) 2015
Campbell, G. (2012) Blood Diamonds: Tracing the deadly path of the world’s most precious stones. NY. NY: Basic Books
Collins, N. (2010) What are blood diamonds? The Telegraph [UK]
DiamondFacts.org
Human Rights Watch: The Hidden costs of Jewelry (Feb 2018)
Médecins sans frontières - Doctors without Borders: Testimonies from Kasai (Oct. 2017)
Time.com The fight against Blood diamonds continues (2015)
UN Resolution to increase participation in Kimberly Process to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the market (2017)
UN General Assembly Reaffirms Strong, Ongoing Support for Kimberley Process Targeting Global Trade in ‘Blood Diamonds’, by One of Four Resolutions (2010)
UN: The role of diamonds fueling conflict
UN General Assembly urges states to implement measures to weaken link between diamond trade and weapons for rebel movements (Dec.1, 2000)
UN General Assembly Resolution 55/56 (Jan 29, 2001): The role of diamonds in fuelling conflict: breaking the link between the illicit transaction of rough diamonds and armed conflict as a contribution to prevention and settlement of conflicts
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