Conflict Diamonds


The Campaign to Eliminate Conflict Diamonds Welcomes
Passage of the Clean Diamond Trade Act

Washington, April 9, 2003 - The Campaign to Eliminate Conflict Diamonds, a coalition of more than 150 human rights, humanitarian, and faith organizations, moved closer to realizing its efforts to choke off a key funding source for some of the world's most brutal regimes and extremist armed networks with passage of the Clean Diamond Trade Act in both the Senate and the House.

Rory Anderson, with World Vision, hailed passage of the Clean Diamond Trade Act stating, "this legislation marks a significant step toward protecting American consumers from underwriting the cost of warfare and human rights abuses in Africa and inadvertently funding the activities of al-Qaeda and similar networks. We look forward to working with the Administration to ensure its effective implementation."

The legislation, which comprises two companion bills --S. 760 and H.R. 1415-- was introduced in the Senate by Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA), Max Baucus (D-MT) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and in the House by Representatives Amo Houghton (R-NY), William Thomas (R-CA) and Charles Rangel (D-NY).

The Clean Diamond Trade Act will put in place an international system known as the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which will ensure that diamonds entering the United States are legally mined and traded. The certification will be instrumental in ensuring that "conflict diamonds" -- gems that have fueled decades-long wars and atrocities in Africa and have reportedly financed al-Qaeda - are not imported into the U.S.

Human rights, humanitarian advocates, and faith-based organizations have worked with Congress, the diamond industry and the international community for several years to develop a certification system and strong complimentary U.S. legislation . More than 50 countries, including all the major diamond-producing and trading nations, have agreed to participate in the certification system, intended to stem the global trade in conflict diamonds.

The organizations that make up the Campaign to Eliminate Conflict Diamonds have been witness to the brutal conflicts fueled by the unregulated purchase of rough diamonds from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Sierra Leone and other war-torn countries. In these countries, diamond revenues have been used to purchase weapons to wage war against civilians and commit egregious human rights abuses, including rape, amputation and the use of child soldiers.