David Martin MEP, Labour’s spokesperson in the European Parliament on International Trade, is to raise the issue of ‘blood’ diamonds with the European Commission at the next session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
“I believe with the public interest in this issue created by campaigns across the international community and films such as 'Blood Diamond' have provided the EU with an ideal time to take a hard line in tightening up the whole Kimberley Process. I urge the European Commissioner for External Affairs, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, to push hard for real progress on this issue. ” stated David Martin Labour Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Scotland.
“In 2007 the European Commission holds the Presidency of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme,” explained Mr Martin. “This is an initiative that has been attempting to eliminate ‘blood’ diamonds from the diamond trade”.
“We know through reports from groups such as Amnesty International that ‘blood’ diamonds have funded devastating conflicts in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Sierra Leone”, continued David Martin.
“During the 1990’s these wars claimed the lives of 3.7 million people. And although the Kimberley Process has tried to combat the presence of conflict diamonds in this trade, the programme has not been successful enough and problem of conflict diamonds has not disappeared. "The United Nations recently reported that $23 million in ‘blood’ diamonds from the Ivory Coast are being smuggled over the border into Ghana and Mali, making their way into the international diamond markets – many of which are in Europe”.
“That is why I believe that Europe’s Presidency of the Kimberley Process in 2007 must take a crucial lead in reducing this blood stained trade. I will specifically challenge the European Commission on:
What plans it has to require all sectors of the diamond trade to put meaningful systems in place, which can track diamonds from the mine to the High Street?
What plans it has to ensure that diamond companies have transparent and responsible sourcing policies in place and that their system of warranties is verified by an independent auditor?
What steps it will take to ensure that the Kimberley Process develops a meaningful system to verify industry compliance as a priority for 2007?
If it will provide adequate financing to promote effective implementation of the scheme?
If it will improve the accuracy of the European Community (EC) rough diamond trade statistics and ensure that there is timely and effective analysis of statistics to help detect any trade in conflict diamonds?”
"2007 is the year in which the EU must act decisively to end this bloody trade and I call on the Commission to ensure that EU Consumers will no longer have to worry about having blood on their hands when it comes to diamonds." concluded David Martin.
Ends
Editors notes:
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was agreed in Kimberley South Africa, in 2002, by a unique coalition of governments, the international diamond industry and civil society represented by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in response to the role of diamonds in funding some of the most devastating wars in Africa during the last decade. Its membership now comprises 44 states and the European Community, as a single participant, representing all 27 Member States.
For further information please contact the European Parliamentary press officer Matt Patterson on +32 479 790 053 or Colin Bartie on +44 131 654 1606 or +44 793 376 8589.
