Note: This piece originally appeared in GemKonnect and was written by Enough Project Policy Advisor, Brad Brooks-Rubin.
There can be no better evidence that the Kimberley Process (KP) is not BS than the debate it stirs up. I am pleased that two eminent figures connected to the KP, Ian Smillie and former Chair Ahmed Bin Sulayem, chose to respond to a recent article of mine, which itself was prompted by the report that was posted on this site about a debate at a recent industry conference. It is, of course, difficult debate that brought the KP to life, and it is that same level of debate that will keep efforts going to address conflict diamonds, and broader issues in the diamond supply chain.
I write to clarify a couple of points and then ask two fundamental questions of Smillie and Bin Sulayem in the first instance, but really, I ask it of the entire KP and broader diamond industry. Because it is, when all is said and done, up to the industry to decide what really happens to the KP…