NGOs Establish Consumers Diamond Pledge

In an effort to rally British consumers to apply pressure on the diamond Industry, The Cooperative Bank, Global Witness, ActionAid and Amnesty International have teamed up to create the Diamond Pledge, a vehicle to demonstrate to the diamond industry and governments that UK consumers are increasingly concerned about conflict diamonds.

According to the NGO’s there is a flaw in the Kimberley Process that threatens to undermine the success of the entire scheme:  the system includes no provision for regular, impartial monitoring to ensure that actions taken by governments work effectively in practice. 

With the pledge the groups hope “consumer action will play a major role in making sure that governments adopt adequate monitoring and that the diamond industry effectively carries out measures to stop conflict diamond trading”.

In its address to consumers, Global Witness says, “Signing up to the pledge is relatively straight forward, but, as well as indicating your support for the aims of the Pledge, we are, additionally, seeking your willingness to follow through on the Pledge commitments: where possible to raise awareness with family and friends, to raise the issue with your MP and to raise the issue with jewellers”.

The Diamond pledge reads: “'I pledge my support for an effective Kimberley Process, including regular, impartial monitoring of all participant countries and for meaningful action by the diamond trade to stamp out conflict diamonds”.