Nangula Shejavali
26 June 2009
Windhoek — A LACK of political will and the absence of a sincere and strategic approach by governments have made the Zimbabwe diamond issue a missed opportunity for the Kimberley Process in curbing the flow of illicit diamonds.
In an address presented by Andrew Bone on behalf of Eli Izhakoff, Chairperson of the World Diamond Council, participants at the Intersessional Meeting of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) were told that governments need to pull up their socks and be more proactive in the affairs of the KP in order to enforce its policies.
"The fact is that to be truly effective, the Kimberley Process requires full political and logistical support from its member states and international institutions and the wider international community," Bone said, adding that there is little evidence showing that the KP is receiving the necessary level of support. "It is therefore, unsurprising that events and activities associated with the illegal appropriation of valuable natural resources go unchecked."
Bone said because the KPCS is run and owned by governments, it "has the right and responsibility to call upon other arms of government to assist it in enforcing policies that they have agreed to and set down in legislation".
Highlighting Zimbabwe as a case in point, Bone said that "although it is beyond the capacity of the Kimberley Process to deal directly with human rights issues by itself, government officials can work together in a spirit of collaboration, across departments and agencies world-wide, to ensure that the resources and political will are mobilised to address them".
The World Diamond Council will be part of the team on the KP's review mission to Zimbabwe next week, and has called for improved co-operation between KP officials responsible for compliance and government authorities responsible for security and cross-border controls to halt the trade in conflict diamonds.
To date, the Kimberley Process has not issued a ban on diamonds from the controversial Marange mining area in Zimbabwe despite several calls from civil society.
Seven of these groups issued a statement just days before the important meeting, accusing the KP of failing to adequately act on the issues of illicit trade in Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Lebanon and Guinea.
Annie Dunnebacke of Global Witness - one of the signatories - said: "The clock is running out on Kimberley Process credibility. The work it was set up to do is vital - it would be scandalous if unco-operative governments and industry succeeded in hobbling it into ineffectiveness."
To this end, Bone said the WDC was joining civil society in specifically calling on governments to address issues of non-compliance with swifter action and agree on interim suspension mechanisms with clear criteria.
He also called on governments to require stronger oversight of the diamond industry, including spot checks of companies, to require cutting and polishing sectors to adhere to the minimum KP standards, and to improve internal controls, collaboration and enforcement efforts to combat the smuggling of rough diamonds.
"We call upon governments to review and renew their commitment to the Kimberley Process by providing it with the support and resources it needs to achieve its objectives.
"We call upon them to establish coherent and strategic engagement between those responsible for KP compliance and other branches of government, including security forces, customs and border control authorities, and the judiciary."
But the buck doesn't stop with the KP's participating governments, and Izhakoff's address also came down hard on the KP itself - which Namibia is chairing this year - to "be moved closer to the heart of every government".
"In its turn, the Kimberley Process must be far more vocal and proactive in engaging with these arms of government, drawing attention to the issues that affect us all and calling for effective action and support that will assist it in achieving its objectives," he said.
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