Human Rights and Democracy - Official Documents

Indonesian Voluntary Principles partners, including the security forces, industry, local
government administration and NGOs.
In the DRC, embassy officials participated in discussions with companies,
governments and civil society about implementing the Voluntary Principles in the
DRC, as well as the range of security and human rights challenges facing the mining
sector. Participants agreed to try to persuade the DRC government to join the
Voluntary Principles.
In Peru, embassy officials participated in a number of workshops and meetings with
Peruvian government officials from the ministries of mine and energy, defence, and
environment to discuss Peruvian membership of the Voluntary Principles. We will
continue to encourage the government of Peru to join the Voluntary Principles.
The Kimberley Process
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was established in 2002 to combat the
trade in rough diamonds to finance armed conflicts, primarily in Africa. With 75
participating countries the Kimberley Process covers an estimated 99.8% of the
global production of rough diamonds.
The UK Government Diamond Office and the UK Border Agency and Customs are
responsible for preventing illicit diamonds entering or leaving the UK. In 2010
authorities seized a number of shipments of rough diamonds deemed non-compliant
with the Kimberley Process. The Government Diamond Office also works with the
UK’s rough diamond industry to provide expert advice and oversight of industry
compliance with Kimberley Process minimum standards.
Experts estimate that since the Kimberley Process was established “conflict
diamonds” have reduced from 15% to less than 1% of the global trade in rough
diamonds. But significant challenges remain, particularly in certain West African
countries and Zimbabwe.
In Zimbabwe, there were continued allegations of violence by Zimbabwean security
forces at diamond mining sites in the Marange region in 2010. The UK has played
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