NGOs: KPCS Still Lacks Monitoring

NGOs welcomed today the publication of a new list of participating countries in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, and while the list excludes those countries that did not meet the minimum requirements of the scheme, NGOs say that without adequate monitoring of the KPCS there is no way of ensuring that countries are actually halting the trade in conflict diamonds.

“Without effective and regular monitoring of the Kimberley Process it is difficult to evaluate whether national regulations are worth the paper they are written on,” said Corinna Gilfillan of the UK-based NGO, Global Witness.
 
In a press release, Global Witness says that the 40 countries that did make the list only meet the requirements on paper.

“The Participation Committee did not assess how laws and regulations are being implemented and enforced. This underlines the urgent need for regular and impartial monitoring of the Kimberley Process to assess whether diamond control systems work effectively in practice. Currently there are no formal arrangements for effective monitoring, and many governments are even reluctant to discuss the subject,” the group says.
 
Ian Smillie of Partnership Africa Canada adds, "Passing new regulations is not enough. We already have laws against theft and human rights abuse. These have not stopped conflict diamonds in the past. The laws must have teeth."