Clean up the diamond trades

Please send email to Eli Izhakoff, the Chairperson of the World Diamond Council (WDC), asking the WDC to stop the trade of blood diamond! To know more about the story of blood diamond, please click here.

Please fill your name and email address below

Name:

Email:

Appeal Letter:

Dear Eli Izhakoff,

I am writing to the World Diamond Council (WDC) asking it to take strong action to ensure that the entire diamond industry strengthens its systems to make sure diamonds can never again fund conflict.

The WDC must require that its members put in place a comprehensive tracking system to ensure that conflict diamonds cannot enter the legitimate diamond trade.

As you are aware, conflict diamonds have funded devastating conflicts in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The problem of conflict diamonds from Cote d&amp;rsquo;Ivoire reaching international markets highlights weaknesses in the Kimberley Process, set up by governments to try and address the issue of conflict diamonds, and shows what more needs to be done.

In many participating countries, government controls of the diamond trade from mining to polishing are still inadequate and poorly enforced due to the lack of effective monitoring, capacity and political will.

The diamond industry must make sure they are not trading in conflict diamonds, and guarantee that they can give consumers assurances that the diamonds they buy are conflict-free. 

Nicky Oppenheimer, chairman of De Beers, recently stated &amp;ldquo;It is not just governments who must act. The international diamond industry has a primary responsibility to ensure that not even one diamond of suspect origin enters the legitimate supply chain. There must be zero tolerance of conflict diamonds and zero tolerance of those who deal in them.&amp;rdquo;

In order to make sure diamonds never again fund conflict, the diamond industry agreed to adopt a system of warranties to support the Kimberley Process. This covers both rough and polished diamonds.

But it can only be effective if it is implemented by all sectors of the diamond industry, and if its adherence is independently verified and audited. Otherwise, unscrupulous traders will find loopholes in the system, allowing conflict diamonds to enter the legitimate trade.

All diamond companies should:

* Implement a comprehensive system to track diamonds, based on clear standards to help ensure that no conflict diamonds can enter the legitimate trade

* Get this system independently verified annually

* Publish their policy to combat conflict diamonds and make it easily accessible to consumers

* Make sure that suppliers have effective policies and independent auditing measures in place to combat conflict diamonds

The World Diamond Council and its member associations should actively monitor companies to ensure that this system is being met and should hold those violating the system to account, as well as publicly calling on governments to monitor the industry more rigorously.

Sincerely,

Past Statements

Statement of the Free Trade Zones Workers UnionTue, 09/25/2007 - 07:05
Lives and trade union activities at risk in Sri LankaTue, 09/25/2007 - 06:59