Amnesty calls for action on diamond certification regime

Amnesty International said on Friday that governments and the diamond industry "must seize the opportunity" this week to set up an effective and transparent certification system so that the international diamond trade cannot be linked to killings and other abuses against civilians in conflict zones.

Amnesty's appeal comes ahead of a three-day meeting that starts on Tuesday in London to develop proposals for an international diamond certification system. That system, Amnesty said, "must help to prevent arms transfers which could contribute to human rights abuses". To achieve this, it added, the system must include internationally consistent monitoring of rough diamonds from the mine to the consumer.

Amnesty also called for a uniform certification system in diamond producing, trading and importing countries. It said these countries should allow effective international monitoring to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the flow of certified diamonds. "Many governments and key players in the diamond industry appear reluctant to commit themselves to a truly effective system with provisions for international monitoring," Amnesty added.

It criticised the industry for being unable to show that its self-regulatory mechanisms had been successful. It also criticised governments involved in the search for an international diamond certification system - known as the Kimberly Process - for not agreeing on precise terms for drafting legislation.

The Kimberley Process was initiated in part because the international community recognised the link between the diamond trade and human rights abuses, in particular by the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone, Amnesty said.