Fatos sobre os diamantes de sangue: Serra Leoa

Sierra Leone is situated in western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia. A former British colony with a current population of 6.1 million, Sierra Leone gained independence in 1961.

The economic and social infrastructure of Sierra Leone is not well developed. Nearly half of the population survive by subsistence agriculture, although alluvial diamond mining (mining that extracts diamonds from deposits of sand, gravel and clay, which have been naturally transported by water erosion and deposited along either the banks of a river, the shoreline or on the bed of the ocean) accounts for nearly half of the country's exports and is the most significant source of hard currency earnings.

English is the official language of Sierra Leone but only 35% of its citizens are literate. The average life expectancy is 40 years and AIDS/HIV affects 7% of the population.

Diamonds were first discovered in Sierra Leone in 1930. In addition to diamonds, the country also has several other natural resources - titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold and chromite.

CIVIL WAR AND DIAMONDS
Between 1991 and 2002, the country suffered a brutal, ten-year civil war during which the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) committed horrendous atrocities, terrorizing the population and gaining control of the country's diamond mines.

Eight years of protracted war left tens of thousands of people displaced and unknown numbers dead or mutilated. Half a million of Sierra Leone's people were forced to flee the country. The UN Security Council established the Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) in October 1999 to help restore peace. At its height, UNAMSIL had 17,000 troops and was the biggest UN peacekeeping operation in the world. The Abuja Agreement in 2001 finally led to a reduction of hostilities and by early 2002, tens of thousands of ex-combatants had been disarmed and demobilized. By January of 2002, the civil war was over and Sierra Leone became a democratic country.

	In 2000, the UN officially accused Charles Taylor, then president of neighboring Liberia, of backing the insurgency by providing arms and training to the RUF in exchange for diamonds. Taylor stepped down as Liberian President in August 2003 as part of an internationally brokered peace deal to end the civil war in Liberia. Taylor went into exile in Nigeria in 2003 and was ultimately transferred to the Netherlands to stand trial in The Hague international criminal court.

In 2000, the United Nations Security Council banned both direct and indirect imports of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone to member states in an effort to help stabilize the country and reduce the rebel's access to foreign currency and arms.

Since the end of the civil war in 2002, the diamond industry has provided technical assistance and training to Sierra Leone's Ministry of Mines in setting up the Government Diamond Office - an important step to being part of the Kimberley Process. In 2003 Sierra Leone joined the Kimberley Process, the international agreement developed to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate diamond supply chain and provides an assurance that diamonds are from conflict free sources.

PRESENT-DAY SIERRA LEONE
Sierra Leone is now at peace. Ernest Bai Koroma became president following elections in September, 2007. Today, diamonds represent a resource of crucial importance to the future development of the country. Sierra Leone continues to be a participant of the Kimberley Process and exported approximately $125 million worth of diamonds (approximately 3% of the world's diamonds) in 2006. Revenues from diamond exports are making a positive contribution to the rebuilding of its infrastructure, health services and education systems.

Fonte: http://www.diamondfacts.org/conflict/background.html#sierra

Kimberley Process

In May 2000, responding to a growing grassroots movement on "blood diamonds," governments and the diamond industry came together in the South African town of Kimberley to combat the trade in diamonds from conflict zones. The result of these negotiations was the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, setting up an internationally recognized certification system for rough diamonds and establishing national import/export standards. In November 2002, 52 governments ratified and adopted the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which was fully implemented in August 2003.

The Kimberley Process was seriously flawed from the beginning. The Kimberley system of "voluntary self-regulation" on the part of the diamond industry has meant a significant lack of transparency and independent monitoring efforts. The World Diamond Council, initially established to represent the diamond industry at the Kimberley Process, has failed to coordinate effective industry monitoring. Governments, too, have been uninterested in monitoring and regulating the diamond trade. Some say the Kimberley Process amounted to little more than a public relations stunt for the diamond industry, and recent reports by Global Witness and other NGOs have found little evidence of genuine attempts to deliver on industry commitments.

Kimberley Process: An Amnesty International Position Paper

This paper contains an update on developments since Amnesty International's previous Kimberley Process position paper of 21 June 2006 (AI Index: POL 30/024/2006); including the outcome of the Kimberley Process plenary meeting held in Botswana in November 2006; together with Amnesty International's recommendations to Kimberley Process participants.

Clique aqui para ver o documento de posição na íntegra.

Processo Kimberley

he Kimberley process started when Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, in May 2000, to discuss ways to stop the trade in ‘conflict diamonds’ and ensure that diamond purchases were not funding violence.

In December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution supporting the creation of an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. By November 2002, negotiations between governments, the international diamond industry and civil society organisations resulted in the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) . The KPCS document sets out the requirements for controlling rough diamond production and trade. The KPCS entered into force in 2003, when participating countries started to implement its rules.

Who is involved?

The Kimberley Process (KP) is open to all countries that are willing and able to implement its requirements. As of November 2008, the KP has 49 members, representing 75 countries, with the European Community and its Member States counting as an individual participant. KP members account for approximately 99.8% of the global production of rough diamonds. In addition, the World Diamond Council, representing the international diamond industry, and civil society organisations – Global Witness, Partnership-Africa Canada – are participating in the KP and have played a major role since its outset.

How does the Kimberley Process work?

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) imposes extensive requirements (*) on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’ and prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate trade. Under the terms of the KPCS, participating states must meet ‘minimum requirements’ and must put in place national legislation and institutions; export, import and internal controls; and also commit to transparency and the exchange of statistical data. Participants can only legally trade with other participants who have also met the minimum requirements of the scheme, and international shipments of rough diamonds must be accompanied by a KP certificate guaranteeing that they are conflict-free.

The Kimberley Process is chaired, on a rotating basis, by participating countries. So far, South Africa, Canada, Russia, Botswana, the European Community have chaired the KP, and India is the Chair in 2008. KP participating countries and industry and civil society observers gather twice a year at intersessional and plenary meetings, as well as in working groups and committees that meet on a regular basis. Implementation is monitored through ‘review visits’ and annual reports as well as by regular exchange and analysis of statistical data.

(*)The requirements for participation are outlined in Sections II, V (a) and VI (8,9) of the KPCS.

The Kimberley Process: unique and effective

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) has evolved into an effective mechanism for stemming the trade in conflict diamonds and is recognized as a unique conflict-prevention instrument to promote peace and security. The joint efforts of governments, industry leaders and civil society representatives have enabled the Kimberley Process (KP) to curb successfully the flow of conflict diamonds in a very short period of time. Diamond experts estimate that conflict diamonds now represent a fraction of one percent of the international trade in diamonds, compared to estimates of up to 15% in the 1990s. That has been the KP’s most remarkable contribution to a peaceful world, which should be measured not in terms of carats, but by the effects on people’s lives.

The KP has done more than just stem the flow of conflict diamonds, it has also helped stabilise fragile countries and supported their development. As the KP has made life harder for criminals, it has brought large volumes of diamonds onto the legal market that would not otherwise have made it there. This has increased the revenues of poor governments, and helped them to address their countries’ development challenges. For instance, some $125 million worth of diamonds were legally exported from Sierra Leone in 2006, compared to almost none at the end of the 1990s.

In 2006, a review of the KP confirmed its effectiveness, and recommended a number of actions to further strengthen the system in areas such as monitoring of implementation and strengthening internal controls in participating countries, as well as greater transparency in the gathering of statistical data.

“Diamantes de Sangue” Ainda Não Foram Erradicados

Por Filipe Vieira 07/11/2007

A União Europeia vai organizar, esta semana, um encontro para avaliar o progresso feito para erradicar a comercialização dos “diamantes de sangue”, ilicitamente transaccionados e que têm alimentado várias guerras no continente africano. Apesar dos progressos registados, os peritos nesta matéria afirmam que mais tem que ser feito.

O encontro sobre diamantes, a realizar em Bruxelas, tem lugar cinco anos depois de ter arrancado o Processo de Kimberly, uma organização global de vigilância do comércio de diamantes, que inclui a União Europeia e que se destina a travar o fluxo dos chamados “diamantes de sangue”.

A comissária europeia das Relações Externas, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, saudou os progressos feitos desde o início do Processo Kimberly, em 2002. Diz ela que os diamantes deixaram de ser os melhores amigos dos rebeldes, referindo-se ao facto dos senhores da guerra os usarem para alimentar conflitos africanos em Angola, Congo, Serra Leoa e Libéria.

E a indústria diamantífera, que tinha sido acusada de manter um grande secretismo revelou este ano, pela primeira vez, qual foi a sua produção.

Mas, apesar do progresso registado em países como a República do Congo, Annie Dunnebacke, da Global Witness, diz que muito mais tem que ser feito: “Em muitos países, especialmente em muitos países africanos, constatamos um aumento na exportação oficial de diamantes e isso é um bom sinal. Infelizmente, numa escala global, estamos também a ver um aumento do fluxo ilícito de diamantes em bruto que estão a ser comercializados à margem do Processo de Kimberly. Por isso, esperamos realmente que, esta semana o encontro patrocinado pela União Europeia faça face estas fraquezas. E esperamos também que a Índia, que irá presidir ao processo, continue a encarar com eficácias aqueles problemas, no próximo ano.”

Durante o encontro de Bruxelas, que termina na quinta-feira, os participantes irão tentar reforçar os controlos existentes para impedir o comércio de diamantes ilícitos. A União Europeia, com os seus 27 países membros, é um dos membros do Processo Kimberly e 80 por cento da produção de diamantes em bruto são transaccionados na cidade belga de Antuérpia, onde são trabalhados.

A imprensa belga informou, no passado fim de semana, que a polícia apreendeu diamantes no valor de 20 milhões de dólares, que se crê fossem provenientes da Costa do Marfim, país que está perante um embargo internacional, que impede a exportação daquelas pedras preciosas.

Making it Work: Why the Kimberley Process Must Do More to Stop Conflict Diamonds

O Processo de Certificação de Diamantes Kimberly é um acordo firamdo para eliminar o comércio dos "diamantes de guerra", pedras que são trocadas por armas de fogo financiando conflitos armados em países da África. Atualmente, 69 países participam do processo tendo implementado leis estabelecendo limites para a importação e exportação de diamantes. Esse relatório mostra que, apesar dos progressos, o Processo Kimberly precisa ser fortalecido se pretende atingir seus objetivos. Os sistemas internos de controle implementados pelos governos para prevenir o comércio dos diamantes de guerra não são fortes o suficiente para combater esta prática. Como resultado, essas pedras continuam a ser certificadas em países membros do Processo Kimberly e legitimadas pelo esquema criado para erradicá-las. Clique aqui para ler o relatório na íntegra.

Filme aborda diamantes 'de sangue'

Documentário apoiado pelo PNUD mostra os prejuízos sociais com a venda ilegal de pedras preciosas em Serra Leoa, 2º pior IDH do mundo-->

da PrimaPagina

Diamantes, cultura hip-hop, conflitos e desenvolvimento social. Estes são os elementos do enredo do documentário “Bling”, que está sendo exibido internacionalmente pelo canal VH1, ligado à MTV. O filme é ambientado em Serra Leoa, na África, e conta com a participação de artistas africanos e norte-americanos, geralmente ligados à cultura hip-hop.

A produção visa alertar os consumidores para o comércio ilegal de pedras preciosas, ao abordar o universo dos chamados “diamantes do sangue” — pedras coletadas em zonas de guerra e, geralmente, vendidas clandestinamente para financiar esforços bélicos.

Durante as filmagens, Pall Wall, Raekown e Tego Calderon — os artistas que participaram do documentário — visitaram minas de diamante e campos de refugiados e conversaram com vítimas dos conflitos. Assim, puderam conhecer mais de perto a influência do comércio ilegal de pedras preciosas sobre a situação social de Serra Leoa, país que é o penúltimo colocado no ranking internacional do IDH (Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano) e amarga o menor Produto Interno Bruto per capita do mundo (US$ 561 dólares).

O crítico quadro social foi agravado pelo comércio ilegal de diamantes, principalmente durante conflitos armados. Desde o fim oficial da guerra, em janeiro de 2002, diversas frentes se mobilizam pela reconstrução do país e pela reestruturação do comércio de diamantes. Uma delas é o PNUD, por meio do projeto Diamantes para o Desenvolvimento, que propõe uma nova maneira de organizar a produção e comercialização das pedras no país, de maneira que o setor possa acelerar o desenvolvimento local.

Trazendo à tona a história dos “diamantes de sangue”, o documentário, produzido pela VH1 Rock Docs, Article 19 Films e pelo PNUD, incentiva as pessoas a se tornarem consumidores responsáveis de pedras preciosas, e mostrar que o hip-hop tem potencial para ser um canal gerador de transformações sociais.

Processo de Kimberley (Lei nº 10.743/2003)

Diamantes brutos no comércio exterior

Texto extraído do Jus Navigandi
http://jus2.uol.com.br/doutrina/texto.asp?id=5320

Leonardo Correia Lima Macedo
economista e mestre em Direito Econômico pela UFPB, professor da ESAF, auditor-fiscal da Receita Federal, acadêmico de Direito na AEUDF
Dario da Silva Brayner Filho
Auditor-Fiscal da Receita Federal


Histórico

Durante algum tempo o Conselho de Segurança das Nações Unidas impôs sanções contendo proibições de importações de diamantes em bruto provenientes de Serra Leoa, Angola e Libéria. O objetivo dessas sanções era impedir a fonte de financiamento de movimentos rebeldes.

As sanções não foram suficientes para pôr termo a essa fonte de financiamento dos conflitos. Os diamantes de guerra continuavam a encontrar um mercado e acabavam por entrar no comércio legal. Chegou-se a conclusão de que seria necessário ampliar o nível de controle entre diversos países a fim de reduzir o papel desempenhado por tais diamantes no financiamento dos conflitos.

Foi assim que vários países produtores, importadores e exportadores, a indústria e a sociedade civil reuniram-se no "Processo de Kimberley", a fim de elaborar um sistema de certificação para o comércio internacional de diamantes em bruto.

Na sua Resolução 56/263 de 13 de Março de 2002, a Assembléia Geral das Nações Unidas comunicou a criação do sistema de certificação desenvolvido no âmbito do Processo de Kimberley (1).

Definição

O Sistema de Certificação do Processo de Kimberley (SCPK) é essencialmente um mecanismo internacional de certificação de origem de diamantes brutos, classificados nas subposições 7102.10, 7102.21 e 7102.31 do Sistema Harmonizado (SH) de Codificação e Designação de Mercadorias, destinados à exportação e à importação, visando impedir o financiamento de conflitos pelo seu comércio.

Processo de Kimberley no Brasil

O SCPK foi instituído no Brasil por meio da Lei nº 10.743, de 9 de outubro de 2003.

O Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral (DNPM), a Secretaria da Receita Federal (SRF) e a Secretaria de Comércio Exterior (Secex) do Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria e Comércio Exterior (MDIC), em conjunto são responsáveis pela implantação do SCPK no Brasil.

Objetivos

O objetivo básico deste sistema é evitar que os diamantes "de guerra" continuem a financiar conflitos armados e a desacreditar o mercado legítimo de diamantes em bruto.

Na exportação, o Processo de Kimberley (PK) visa impedir a remessa de diamantes brutos extraídos de áreas de conflito ou de qualquer área não legalizada perante o Estado-membro. Já na importação, o PK visa impedir a entrada de remessas de diamantes brutos sem o regular Certificado do Processo de Kimberley (CPK) do país de origem.

As atividades de importação e exportação de diamantes brutos originários de países não-participantes do PK estão proibidas.

Os países produtores controlarão a produção e o transporte dos diamantes em bruto desde a mina até o ponto de exportação. As remessas de diamantes em bruto serão seladas em embalagens invioláveis e para cada remessa será emitido um certificado do Processo de Kimberley.

Os países reexportadores garantirão que apenas os diamantes em bruto exportados ou importados ao abrigo de um certificado do Processo de Kimberley entrarão no circuito de transações entre a importação e a exportação. A indústria diamantífera introduzirá um sistema de auto-regulação a fim de apoiar os esforços do Governo.

De acordo com o Art 4º da Lei nº 10.743, de 2003 o SCPK tem por objetivos:

Art. 4o O SCPK tem por objetivos:

I - assegurar o acesso da produção brasileira de diamantes brutos ao mercado internacional;

II - impedir a entrada, no território nacional, de diamantes brutos originários de países não-participantes do Processo de Kimberley, bem como daqueles originários dos países participantes, mas que estejam desacompanhados de documentação compatível com aquele Sistema; e

III - impedir a saída do território nacional de diamantes brutos desacompanhados do Certificado do Processo de Kimberley.

Exigências

As exportações de diamantes brutos produzidos no País somente poderão ser realizadas se acompanhadas do CPK, emitido pelo DNPM, entidade anuente no Brasil.

As importações de diamantes brutos serão acompanhadas do CPK, emitido pelas autoridades competentes do país de origem, sendo obrigatória a apresentação de uma cópia por ocasião do licenciamento não-automático pelo DNPM.

Compete ao Ministério da Fazenda (MF), por intermédio da SRF, examinar e manusear os lotes de diamantes brutos submetidos a despacho aduaneiro, com vistas a verificar sua conformidade com o conteúdo do CPK que os acompanha, expedindo, na hipótese prevista no Art. 6º, o correspondente certificado.

Art. 6º As exportações de diamantes brutos produzidos no País somente poderão ser realizadas se acompanhadas do Certificado do Processo de Kimberley.

§ 1º Compete ao DNPM, entidade anuente no processo exportador, a emissão do Certificado do Processo de Kimberley.

§ 2º No caso de ser necessária a abertura de invólucro contendo diamantes brutos a serem exportados, em decorrência de ação fiscal aduaneira realizada no curso do despacho, o Ministério da Fazenda, por intermédio da Secretaria da Receita Federal, emitirá o Certificado do Processo de Kimberley em substituição ao certificado original, transcrevendo os mesmos dados do certificado substituído.

Penalidades

As penalidades, perdimento ou multa de cem por cento, estão previstas nos Arts. 9º e 10 da Lei nº 10.743, de 2003:

Art. 9º Aplica-se a pena de perdimento da mercadoria:

I - submetida a procedimento de despacho aduaneiro, sem amparo do Certificado do Processo de Kimberley; e

II - na posse de qualquer pessoa, em zona primária de portos, aeroportos e pontos de fronteira alfandegados, sem amparo do Certificado do Processo de Kimberley.

Art. 10. Aplica-se a multa de cem por cento do valor da mercadoria:

I - ao comércio internacional de diamantes brutos, sem amparo do Certificado do Processo de Kimberley verificado em procedimento de ação fiscal aduaneira de zona secundária, com base em registros assentados em livros fiscais ou comerciais; e

II - à prática de artifício para a obtenção do Certificado do Processo de Kimberley.

Processo de Kimberley na UE

Na União Européia (UE) o PK foi implementado por meio do Regulamento do Conselho 2.368, de 20 de dezembro de 2002.

As autoridades exportadoras e importadoras são designadas pela Bélgica e pelo Reino Unido. Tal fato decorre pois Antuérpia e Londres, representam dois dos maiores centros mundiais de comercialização de diamantes em bruto e estes centros são vulneráveis aos efeitos dos diamantes de guerra sobre o comércio legal.

O esquema do SCPK será aplicado para todos os países recém ingressos na UE a partir de 1º de maio de 2004: Chipre, Eslovênia, Estônia, Hungria, Letônia, Lituânia, Malta, Polônia, República Tcheca e República Eslovaca.

Processo de Kimberley no Mundo

Até abril de 2004, 43 estados membros constavam como participantes do SCPK: Ângola, Armênia, Austrália, Belarus, Botswana, Brasil, Bulgária, Canadá, Central African Republic, China, República Democrática do Congo, República do Congo, Costa do Marfim, Croácia, União Européia, Gana, Guiné, Guiana, Índia, Israel, Japão, Coréia, Laos, Lesoto, Malásia, Maurício, Namíbia, Romênia, Rússia, Singapura, Serra Leoa, África do Sul, Sri Lanka, Suíça, Tanzânia, Tailândia, Togo, Ucrânia, Emirados Árabes Unidos, Estados Unidos da América, Venezuela, Vietnã e Zimbabwe.

Prevê-se que todos os países que produzem e comercializam diamantes em bruto participem do SCPK.

Bibliografia

BRASIL. Lei nº 10.743, de 9 de outubro de 2003. Institui no Brasil o Sistema de Certificação do Processo de Kimberley - SCPK, relativo à exportação e à importação de diamantes brutos, e dá outras providências. Diário Oficial da República Federativa do Brasil. Brasília, 10 de outubro de 2003.

COMISSÃO DAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEIAS. Proposta de Regulamento do Conselho - Relativo à aplicação do sistema de certificação do Processo de Kimberley para o comércio internacional de diamantes em bruto. Bruxelas, 08.08.2002, COM(2002), 455 final, 2002/0199 (ACC).

Nota

1 Kimberly – cidade na Suíça onde foi assinado o Processo.

CONFLICT DIAMONDS

CONFLICT DIAMONDS

This seventeen-year-
old lost both hands to rebels’ machetes. Waterloo camp, Sierra Leone, 1998. UNICEF / HQ96-0566 / Giacomo Pirozzi

General Assembly adopts resolution on "conflict diamonds" Crucial issue in fuelling wars On 1 December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted, unanimously, a resolution on the role of diamonds in fuelling conflict, breaking the link between the illicit transaction of rough diamonds and armed conflict, as a contribution to prevention and settlement of conflicts (A/RES/55/56). In taking up this agenda item, the General Assembly recognized that conflict diamonds are a crucial factor in prolonging brutal wars in parts of Africa, and underscored that legitimate diamonds contribute to prosperity and development elsewhere on the continent. In Angola and Sierra Leone, conflict diamonds continue to fund the rebel groups, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), both of which are acting in contravention of the international community's objectives of restoring peace in the two countries. What is a conflict diamond? Conflict diamonds are 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. "It has been said that war is the price of peace… Angola and Sierra Leone have already paid too much. Let them live a better life." Ambassador Juan Larrain, Chairman of the Monitoring Mechanism on sanctions against UNITA. How can a conflict diamond be distinguished from a legitimate diamond? A well-structured 'Certificate of Origin' regime can be an effective way of ensuring that only legitimate diamonds -- that is, those from government-controlled areas -- reach market. Additional controls by Member States and the diamond industry are needed to ensure that such a regime is effective. These measures might include the standardization of the certificate among diamond exporting countries, transparency, auditing and monitoring of the regime and new legislation against those who fail to comply. Boy soldiers await demobilization. Bo, Sierra Leone, 1998. UNICEF / HQ98-0578 / Giacomo Pirozzi . Fuelling wars Rough diamond caches have often been used by rebel forces to finance arms purchases and other illegal activities. Neighbouring and other countries can be used as trading and transit grounds for illicit diamonds. Once diamonds are brought to market, their origin is difficult to trace and once polished, they can no longer be identified. Who needs to take action? Governments, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, diamond traders, financial institutions, arms manufacturers, social and educational institutions and other civil society players need to combine their efforts, demand the strict enforcement of sanctions and encourage real peace. The horrific atrocities in Sierra Leone and the long suffering of the people of Angola have heightened the international community's awareness of the need to cut off sources of funding for the rebels in order to promote lasting peace in those countries; such an opportunity cannot be wasted. Legitimate Diamonds Peace Development Controls on conflict diamonds cut off sources of funding for rebels, help shorten wars and prevent their recurrence. Peace in diamond producing regions will bring about the potential for economic development and tax revenue for building infrastructure as legitimate mining ventures increase. The international diamond industry is already taking steps to respond, such as the adoption by the World Diamond Congress, Antwerp, 19 July 2000, of a resolution which, if fully implemented, stands to increase the diamond industry's ability to block conflict diamonds from reaching market. Other efforts include the launching, at the initiative of African diamond-producing countries, of an inclusive, worldwide consultation process of Governments, industry and civil society, referred to as the Kimberly Process, to devise an effective response to the problem of conflict diamonds. What is the United Nations doing? The tragic conflicts in Angola and Sierra Leone, fuelled by illicit diamond smuggling, have already led to action by the Security Council. Under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, targeted sanctions have been applied against UNITA in Angola and the Sierra Leone rebels, including a ban on their main source of funding -- illicit diamonds. Diamond sanctions have also been applied against Liberia but are not yet in effect. ANGOLA: Following UNITA's rejection of the results of the United Nations monitored election in 1992, the Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, adopted resolution 864 of 15 September 1993, imposing an arms embargo along with petroleum sanctions against UNITA and establishing a Sanctions Committee consisting of all the members of the Council to monitor and report on the implementation of the mandatory measures. This UNITA soldier, here awaiting demobilization, was recruited at age 11. Vila Nova, Angola, 1998. UNICEF / HQ96-008 / Giacomo Pirozzi Following the signing of the 1994 Lusaka Protocol, UNITA refused to comply with its terms. In response to UNITA's refusal to disarm and implement the Lusaka Protocol, the Security Council adopted resolution 1127 of 28 August 1997, which imposed mandatory travel sanctions on senior UNITA officials and their immediate family members. A year later, the Security Council adopted resolution 1173 of 12 June 1998 and resolution 1176 of 24 June 1998, prohibiting the direct or indirect import from Angola to their territory of all diamonds not controlled through the Certificate of Origin issued by the Government of Angola, as well as imposing financial sanctions on UNITA. By resolution 1237 of 7 May 1999, the Security Council established an independent Panel of Experts to investigate violations of Security Council sanctions against UNITA. Following the publication of the Panel's report (document S/2000/203), the Security Council adopted resolution 1295 of 18 April 2000, by which the Panel's recommendations were taken up and a "Monitoring Mechanism" was established to collect additional information and investigate any relevant leads regarding sanctions violations, with a view to enhancing the implementation of the measures imposed on UNITA. The five expert members were its Chairman, Ambassador Juan Larrain (Chile), Christine Gordon (United Kingdom), James Manzou (Zimbabwe), Ismaila Seck (Senegal) and Ambassador Lena Sundh (Sweden). The Mechanism submitted its report to the Committee on 20 December 2000 (S/2000/1225). By resolution 1336 (2001), the Security Council extended the mandate of the Monitoring Mechanism for a period of three months. On 20 February 2001, the Security Council held an open meeting to discuss the report of the Monitoring Mechanism. SIERRA LEONE: In July 1999, following over eight years of civil conflict, negotiations between the Government of Sierra Leone and the Revolutionary United Front led to the signing of the Lome Peace Agreement under which the parties agreed to the cessation of hostilities, disarmament of all combatants and the formation of a government of national unity. The United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) helped facilitate the negotiations. In resolution 1270 of 22 October 1999, the Security Council established the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to help create the conditions in which the parties could implement the Agreement. Subsequently, the number of personnel were increased and tasks to be carried out by UNAMSIL adjusted by the Council in resolutions 1289 of 7 February 2000 and 1299 of 19 May 2000, making UNAMSIL the largest peacekeeping force currently deployed by the United Nations. Following international concern at the role played by the illicit diamond trade in fuelling conflict in Sierra Leone, the Security Council adopted resolution 1306 on 5 July 2000 imposing a ban on the direct or indirect import of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone not controlled by the Government of Sierra Leone through a Certificate of Origin regime. An arms embargo and selective travel ban on non-governmental forces were already in effect under resolution 1171 of 5 June 1998. On 31 July and 1 August 2000, Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1132 (1997) concerning Sierra Leone, presided over the first ever exploratory public hearing by the Security Council in New York. The hearing was attended by representatives of interested Member States, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, the diamond industry and other relevant experts. The hearing exposed the link between the trade in illicit Sierra Leone diamonds and trade in arms and related materiel. The ways and means for developing a sustainable and well-regulated diamond industry in Sierra Leone were also discussed. As called for by resolution 1306 of 5 July 2000, the Secretary-General, on 2 August 2000, established a Panel of Experts, to collect information on possible violations of the arms embargo and the link between trade in diamonds and trade in arms and related materiel, consider the adequacy of air traffic control systems in the West African region for the purpose of detecting flights suspected of contravening the arms embargo, and report to the Council with observations and recommendations on ways of strengthening the arms and diamonds embargoes no later than 31 October 2000. The Chairman of the Panel was Martin Chungong Ayafor (Cameroon). The other members were Atabou Bodian (Senegal), Johan Peleman (Belgium), Harjit Singh Sandhu (India) and Ian Smillie (Canada). The Panel submitted its report to the Security Council on 19 December 2000 (S/2000/1195). On 25 January 2001 the Security Council, at its 4264th meeting, considered the report of the panel of experts. LIBERIA: Following the findings presented in the Sierra Leone Panel of Experts' report that the illicit trade in diamonds from Sierra Leone could not be conducted without the permission and involvement of the Liberian government officials, and that the Government of Liberia was actively supporting the RUF at the highest levels, the Security Council adopted resolution 1343 of 7 March 2001. By this resolution, a new Sanctions Committee of the Security Council was established, an arms embargo was re-applied and a Panel of Experts was mandated for a period of six months. In addition, the resolution indicated that if the Government of Liberia does not meet the demands specified by the Security Council within two months, all States would be mandated to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect import of all rough diamonds from Liberia, whether or not such diamonds originated in Liberia, and a selective travel ban would be imposed.