March 14, 2022
The Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition (KP CSC) is gravely concerned with the deteriorating human rights situation in Ukraine following the invasion of the country by the Russian Federation. We feel deep sorrow that yet another violent conflict is causing loss of lives and human suffering. We strongly condemn all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and call on the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally end its aggression.
The KP CSC has a specific mission to ensure that diamonds contribute to peace and prosperity, rather than conflict and misery. With this aim, we have always and continue to call on industry and governments in diamond producing, trading and manufacturing countries to make sure that diamond revenues do not contribute to financing conflict, violence or human rights abuse.
The KPCSC notes that the Russian Federation and the diamond mining company Alrosa – in which the Russian Federation holds a 33% share – are respectively the largest diamond producer country and diamond mining company in the world, and thus have a considerable and global impact on this sector. We therefore call upon governments, industry and the Kimberley Process (KP) Certification Scheme to ascertain that diamonds produced in Russia or by Russia’s state-owned diamond miner Alrosa do not contribute to financing conflict.
The Coalition in particular appeals to Botswana as 2022 Kimberley Process Chair to call a dedicated KP plenary meeting to establish if and which measures are required to secure that diamonds produced in Russia or by Alrosa do not contribute to financing this conflict.
More information:
Dr Michel Yoboue, KP Civil Society Coalition Coordinator (GRPIE)
+225 58 09 17 83 – myoboue@gmail.com
