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From: Nunu Kidane <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2003 10:06:41 -0800
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [Adna-list] UPDATE: Clean Diamond Trade Act

ADNA UPDATE: 030229
Message from: Amnesty International
For contact information see also:
http://www.africaaction.org/adna
contact: Adodtei Akwei - [log in to unmask]

Thursday, March 27, 2003

            The Campaign to Eliminate Conflict Diamonds Welcomes
         The Introduction of H.R. 1415, The Clean Diamond Trade Act


The Campaign to Eliminate Conflict Diamonds, a coalition of more than 150
human rights, humanitarian, and faith organizations applauds the
introduction of H.R. 1415, the Clean Diamond Trade Act, introduced last
night by Reps. Amo Houghton (R-NY), Bill Thomas (R-CA), Charles Rangel
(D-NY), Phil Crane (R-IL), Sander Levin (D-MI), Nancy Johnson (R-CT),
Donald Payne (D-NJ), Phil English (R-PA), Richard Neal (D-MA), Christopher
Shays (R-CT), William Jefferson (D-LA) and Xavier Becerra (D-CA).

The Clean Diamond Trade Act commitment the United States to mandatory
implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, the
international diamond certification system in which over 50 countries,
including all of the major diamond producing and trading countries.  Human
rights and humanitarian advocates, as well as the diamond industry have
played a significant role in the creation of this system, which aims to
prevent the global trade in conflict diamonds.

Although several concerns still remain, including questions over U.S.
internal coordination, H.R. 1415 has strong oversight and monitoring
provisions to help ensure legitimacy of the U.S. certification and the
Kimberley Process.  The unregulated purchase of rough diamonds from the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Sierra Leone and other war-torn
countries in Africa have contributed to widespread conflict. Rebels in
these countries use diamond revenues to purchase weapons to wage war
against civilians, and commit egregious human rights abuses including rape,
amputation, and the use of child soldiers.  Conflict diamonds have also
been reported to finance al-Qaeda and similar groups. If enacted, H.R. 1415
will be a significant step toward preventing conflict diamonds from being
sold in the United States, protecting American consumers from underwriting
the costs of warfare and human rights abuses in Africa and elsewhere.

------------------------------
This message from Amnesty International is distributed through the Advocacy
Network for Africa (ADNA)

Nunu Kidane
Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA)
Communications Facilitator for ADNA
Africa Action
1634 Eye Street, NW, #810,
Washington, DC 20006, USA.
Tel: (202) 546-7961 Fax: (202) 546-1545
www.africaaction.org

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