Transcript Slide 1

Though it's thousands of miles away
Sierra Leone connects to what we go through today
Over here it's a drug trade, we die from drugs
Over there they die from what we buy from drugs!
-Kanye West – Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)
“Conflict Diamonds”
• 1. What does Lupe mean when he refers to diamonds as ‘the older
brother of the drug game?’
• 2. Make a list of people, places and things Lupe refers to in this
song, that are involved in some way with the trade of ‘conflict
diamonds.’
• 3. What realizations did Lupe come to about diamonds prior to
writing this song? (Find at least 2)
Provide a clear definition of what
a ‘conflict or blood diamond’ is.
THE UNITED NATIONS (UN) DEFINES
‘BLOOD OR CONFLICT DIAMONDS’ AS:
• "...diamonds that
originate from areas
controlled by forces or
factions opposed to
legitimate and
internationally
recognized governments,
and are used to fund
military action in
opposition to those
governments, or in
contravention of the
decisions of the Security
Council."
THE KIMBERLEY PROCESS (KP)
• Formally supported
by the United
Nations Security
Council in 2003.
• Places requirements
on member-states to
enable them to
certify shipments of
rough diamonds as
‘conflict-free.’
THE KIMBERLEY PROCESS (KP)
MEMBERSHIP
• 1 – Ensure diamonds
originating from that
country do not finance rebel
groups or other entities
seeking to overthrow UNrecognized governments.
• 2 – Diamonds exported are
accompanied by a Kimberley
Process Certificate.
• 3 – No diamond is imported
or exported to nonmembers of the scheme.
Conflict Minerals
• As of 2010, the resource
fueling one of the world’s
deadliest wars is Gold in the
Congo.
• Gold bars are less traceable
than diamonds.
– No industry standard exists for
verifying the origin of gold.
• Other conflict minerals being
illicitly exported from the
Congo include things like:
cobalt, tungsten, cassiterite,
coltan, tantalite.
Section 1502 – United States
Consumer Protection Act
• A conflict minerals provision included in 2010. Signed by
President Obama.
• Aims at increasing transparency of supply chains, and
gaining full disclosure from those extracting and using
resources labelled ‘conflict minerals.’
• “A product may be labeled as ‘DRC conflict free’ if the
product does not contain conflict minerals that directly or
indirectly finance or benefit armed groups in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining
country.”
DOES SECTION 1502 OF THE
CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT GO FAR
ENOUGH AND WHAT THINGS CAN
YOU DO TO HELP HALT THE USE OF
CONFLICT MATERIALS?
Section 1502 – United States
Consumer Protection Act
• Unless companies identify their smelters and
processors they will be unable to determine
if they are in fact using ‘conflict minerals.’
– Some companies argue the cost of this is not in
their budgets, but groups like Global Witness
have tracked minerals in the DRC & neighbouring
countries with much smaller budgets.
Section 1502 – United States
Consumer Protection Act
• Global Witness is suggesting to the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission that:
– 1 – Companies should be required to identify
their smelters and processors and more
importantly publish them.
– 2 – Verify the smelters’ chain of custody
documents.
– 3 – Look out for ‘red flags.’
What is Canada doing with regards to
‘conflict minerals?’
• NDP foreign affairs critic, Paul Dewar, introduced
a bill to fight the spread of ‘conflict minerals’ in
the DRC this past March.
• “We have to do what we did with blood
diamonds. This is about doing what we’ve done
before with the Kimberley Process.”
–Paul Dewer
Statistics as of 2010
TAKE ACTION
• Follow @miningconflict and
@Global_Witness on Twitter to stay updated
on current events with regards to, and
campaigns against conflict minerals.
• Commit to purchase conflict-free products:
– http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/