The Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition (KPCSC) has slammed the diamond watchdog for failing to come up with tangible reforms, saying it is just running in circles.
Making opening remarks at KP plenary in Dubai, KPCSC coordinator Jaff Bamenjo said the UN-backed organisation was now into the second year of another reform cycle, yet the challenges remain depressingly familiar.
“The Ad Hoc Committee on Review and Reform (AHCRR) and its various subgroups have been organising many discussions, but we seem to be once again running in circles—the same circles for over 20 years now,” he said.
“The constant backsliding in the discussions on the expansion of the definition of conflict diamonds make the Civil Society Coalition increasingly sceptical that the ongoing review and reform exercise will, again, be anything more than lip service.”
Bamenjo said opponents of reforms were frustrating progress.
“The route covered so far in these discussions and the lack of any prospect at substantive outcomes compel us to ask: is this reform cycle yet another box-ticking exercise, another year of empty promises, rather than the year of delivery?” he said.
“A reform cycle should be an opportunity to address critical issues associated with diamond mining, considering the various actors and their actions that contribute to human rights violations and the environmental and labour rights of local communities.”
He said the message to KP participants was simple: “Adopt a robust conflict diamond definition, accompanied by appropriate measures, that prioritise accountability and genuinely address the full spectrum of issues tied to diamond mining.”
“As the KP keeps running in circles, we can only keep hitting the same nail—one that grows rustier and more difficult to repair with every missed opportunity; this is not a matter of choice or convenience, but a necessity for the KP to survive,” said Bamenjo.
“Without real, transformative change, this reform cycle will simply join the long list of missed opportunities in KP’s history.”
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor-In-Chief, Rough&Polished, from Dubai, United Arab Emirates
