Natural Resources and Violent Conflict - WaterWiki.net

where did it come from? 147protect the legitimate diamond industry and stem the flow of “conflictdiamonds.” 24The process acknowledges that an international certificationscheme for rough diamonds will be credible only if all participantshave established internal systems of control to eliminate the presenceof conflict diamonds in the chain of producing, exporting, and importingrough diamonds within their own territories. Participants—states or regional economic organizations such as the EuropeanUnion—are to establish internal controls to eliminate the presence ofconflict diamonds from shipments of rough diamonds imported intoand exported from their territory. This will include designating importingand exporting authorities, as applicable, to monitor diamondshipments and to ensure that all diamonds are imported and exportedin tamper-resistant containers accompanied with Kimberley processcertificates. Participants are obliged to amend or enact appropriatelaws or regulations to implement and enforce the certification schemeand to maintain penalties for transgressions. They also are to collectand maintain relevant official production, import, and export data andto collate and exchange this information when necessary (Sections IVand V). 25In taking account of chain-of-custody monitoring requirements, thescheme defines country of origin as the country where a shipment ofrough diamonds has been mined or extracted; whereas country ofprovenance is the last participant from where a shipment of roughdiamonds was exported, as recorded on import documentation. Thescheme recommends that the importing participant complete animport confirmation part for the certificate containing the followinginformation: the country of destination, identification of the importer,the carat weight and value in U.S. dollars, the relevant HarmonizedCommodity Description and Coding System, and the date of receiptand authentication by the importing authority.Each participant is to ensure that a duly validated certificate accompanieseach shipment of rough diamonds on export and import(Section II). The original of the certificate must be readily accessiblefor at least three years to facilitate the tracking of diamond flows.To further filter out conflict diamonds, participants are to ensurethat no shipment of rough diamonds is imported from or exported toa nonparticipant. Participants through whose territory shipmentstransit are required to ensure that the shipment leaves its territory inan identical state as it entered its territory (that is, unopened and nottampered with; Section III).A degree of transparency and monitoring was integrated into theprocess after nongovernmental organizations voiced strong opposition