Conflict Diamonds: Jewellers keeping consumers in the dark
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Cover of Dejavu - The diamond industry still failing to deliver on promises (View the full report) © AI |
A report by Amnesty International and Global Witness reveals that almost two years after the diamond industry committed itself to a system of self-regulation to prevent the trade in diamonds from conflict regions, retailers in the US and UK are still failing to live up to their promises.
The report "Dejavu - The diamond industry still failing to deliver on promises" launched on 18 October 2004 presents the results of a recent survey of leading diamond companies and stores in the US and UK. The survey found that fewer than one in five companies that responded in writing provided a meaningful account of their policy and less than half of diamond jewellery retailers visited in stores were able to give consumers meaningful assurances that diamonds are conflict free.
The results are part of a wider ongoing survey in which more than 800 retailers and suppliers have been contacted in Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Switzerland but so far only 52 have responded with information on their policies. The results of the survey are very disappointing and show that a significant majority of diamond jewellery retailers continue to fail to deliver on repeated promises made to stem the trade in conflict diamonds.
While the self-regulation continues to be voluntary, only those with good intentions will implement it. In order to be effective and to fully support the aims of the Kimberley Process, the self-regulation should move beyond being voluntary. Global Witness and Amnesty International are calling on governments in the Kimberley Process to ensure that the diamond industry fully implements the code of conduct. The Kimberley Process must require that the participating governments carry out rigorous auditing and inspections of companies to ensure the effectiveness of the self-regulation, to guarantee that diamonds do not fund conflict or human rights abuses, and report back to the Kimberley Process in 2005.
For a full report of the survey results please read Dejavu - The diamond industry still failing to deliver on promises, a report by Amnesty International and Global Witness (PDF format)
Find out more about the survey's results in the UK and the US.
Conflict Diamonds: Jewellers keeping consumers in the dark, Amnesty International and Global Witness's press release
Read more about the Kimberley Process.
