The Indian gems and jewellery industry is set to oppose a proposal made by the Kimberley Process (KP) Chair from the United States to change the definition of “conflict diamonds”.
Ambassador Gillian A Milovanovic, who is the new KP Chair for 2012-13 wanted the definition to include rough diamonds that were connected to any kind of armed conflict or violent situations in the producing and trading areas.
"The US is trying to control the KP system. They (US leaders) have got the keys in their hands to bring the African countries like Zimbabwe under their control by implementing such vicious laws through KP. Indian industry will oppose it tooth and nail," an unnamed senior functionary of Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) was quoted by The Times of India as saying.
He said the proposal to change the conflict diamond definition would have a far reaching effect on the diamond producing and trading countries across the world.
“We have to do this with extreme care, because if we try and expand it carelessly, we run the risk of weakening its foundations and undermining the viability of the structure itself," the GJEPC official said.
Another unnamed DTC sightholder was also quoted as saying that if the new definition for conflict diamond was accepted then trading centres like Antwerp, India, and Dubai would face a lot of problems, as even a small incident of violence over gems would be enough to declare it conflict gems.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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