Natural Resources and Violent Conflict - WaterWiki.net

getting it done 269principles, with significant delays and difficulties experienced inapplication. Because these principles, like most voluntary codes ofconduct, lack compliance assessment by third parties, their efficacypivots on the good will and priorities of individual managers as well asthe operational context in which they have to make decisions; theprofit motive, competitive pressures, and the practices of local securityagencies constitute formidable countervailing forces.The Role of Nongovernmental Organizations and the MediaNongovernmental organizations and the media play a crucial role ininvestigating conflict trade and creating pressure on authorities, businessintermediaries, and consumers through public information andlobbying. Early work by advocacy groups dates back at least to theslave trade and colonial period, when governments and companieswere accused of plundering the colonies. 64 Nongovernmental organizationshave also monitored breaches of sanctions regimes, such as themonitoring of oil tankers and shaming of companies “breaching” thevoluntary oil embargo against South Africa. 65 Recent examples of campaignstargeting conflict trade include the following:• Disinvestment campaigns targeting oil companies; campaigns andmedia focusing on the activities of petroleum companies in conflictaffectedcountries.• The “fatal transactions” campaign against the laundering of conflictdiamonds through legitimate trade. Orchestrated by a coalition ofnongovernmental organizations led by Global Witness, the campaignlaunched a major international agreement and is generally assessed aseffective, at least in terms of creating industry and international policyawareness. 66• The blockade of Liberian timber in a French port by Greenpeaceactivists on both environmental grounds and alleged connection of theLiberian timber trade with arms trafficking and conflict in the region(Mallet 2002). The blockade attracted some media attention but didnot result in any major tangible outcome.• The campaign on conflict timber emanating from Cambodia andmore recently from Liberia by Global Witness, which included publicinformation, pressure on regional governments and donors, as well asbriefing documents to the United Nations. 67 The outcome was an effectiveban by Thailand on Cambodian timber (exported by the KhmerRouge), but little progress was made on Liberia.Campaigns are generally led by human rights and environmentalnongovernmental organizations specializing in advocacy work.Amnesty International, EarthRights International, Global Witness,