KP Civil Society Coalition to approach UN over impasse on redefinition of conflict diamonds

The Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition (CSC) is planning to approach the United Nations over the impasse on the redefinition of conflict diamonds and the principles of responsible sourcing.
Although the coalition acknowledged its limited resources and influence, it said that it would ask the UN to help KP redefine conflict diamonds since it had failed to do so. 
“It is time the UN directly intervenes in this important matter and prescribes the KP what to do,” said the CSC representative Shamiso Mtisi.
“We will also rapidly and significantly increase our efforts outside the KP to sensitise diamond consumers and retailers on the failings of the KP and the alternatives.”
“In approaching the UN, we will draw its attention to hotspot areas where diamond mining companies, state actors and private security and trading states are complicitly violating human rights for profit.”
He said despite efforts by Russia (together with Botswana on the principles) to put the redefinition of conflict diamonds and the principles of responsible sourcing on the agenda, there was resistance with participants invoking procedural concerns to block the discussions. 
“This is making the KP guilty by inaction, since without an update to the definition, and promoting responsible sourcing standards, the KP continues to falsely certify diamonds affected by widespread or systematic violence as conflict-free,” said Mtisi.
“As per tradition, and expected, China, India and Angola most outspokenly, but also South Africa, DRC and Zimbabwe variously raised non-substantiated points about the KP being about trade and thus not able to discuss human rights, or the KP not having a mandate to discuss its conflict diamond definition.”

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished