Conflict Diamonds: A Resource-Fueled Crisis

Certain rough gemstones are mined in areas controlled by rebel forces or warlords. These groups then sell them to finance armed conflicts against legitimate governments. These stones contribute to extreme violence, human rights abuses, and regional instability.

Origins and Key Affected Regions

• Initial Focus: The issue gained significant international attention in the late 1990s, primarily concerning conflicts in several sub-Saharan regions.
• Key Countries: Nations like Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have historically been associated with the trade in these resources.
• Geographic Concentration: Affected areas are generally characterized by weak governance, poverty, and the presence of exploitable mineral deposits.

Impacts of Illicit Diamond Trade

• Funding Conflict: The primary impact is the financing of armed groups, allowing them to purchase weapons and sustain their operations.
• Human Rights Abuses: These conflicts are often characterized by widespread human rights violations, including forced labor, sexual violence, and the recruitment of child soldiers.
• Economic Instability: The illegal trade undermines legitimate economic development and perpetuates a cycle of poverty and instability.

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)

An international initiative established in 2003 to prevent the trade in rough gemstones from financing conflict. The KPCS sets out requirements for controlling the production and trade of rough gemstones.

• Certification: Rough gemstones must be exported in tamper-resistant containers and accompanied by a Kimberley Process certificate guaranteeing that they are conflict-free.
• Participating Countries: Includes most major diamond producing, trading, and manufacturing countries.
• Effectiveness and Criticisms: While the KPCS has reduced the trade in illicit stones, it faces ongoing challenges, including smuggling, fraud, and definitional limitations (e.g., failing to address human rights abuses unrelated to funding conflict). Concerns also exist regarding the KPCS's ability to address issues of environmental damage and labor practices.

Ongoing Challenges and Future Considerations

• Expanding the Scope: Efforts are underway to broaden the KPCS's scope to address broader ethical concerns in the diamond industry, such as environmental sustainability and labor rights.
• Strengthening Enforcement: Improved enforcement mechanisms are needed to combat smuggling and fraud within the existing framework.
• Due Diligence and Supply Chain Transparency: Increased transparency and due diligence throughout the gemstone supply chain are crucial for ensuring that diamonds are ethically sourced.