When Congress reconvened in September after its summer recess, Representative Tony Hall introduced the so-called "Carat Act," a bill that places import restrictions on diamonds.

Control of Sierra Leone’s diamonds by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) "turned a band of thugs into formidable fighting force that virtually destroyed an entire country." Diamonds have similarly enriched UNITA, Angola’s rebel group.

Human rights, religious, and humanitarian groups have been deeply concerned about the role that diamonds have played in fomenting conflict and human rights abuses in Africa. Seventy organizations including the United Methodist Women’s Office of Public Policy joined Physicians for Human Rights in signing an open letter to the World Diamond Congress, which met in mid-July.

Representative Hall’s proposed legislation makes a very valuable contribution to the process that has already begun by the diamond industry. It calls for "birth certificates" for finished diamonds entering the U.S. within two years, but waives that provision if the industry makes good on its commitments at Antwerp, in a timely way. Again, there is a two-year phase in period, which should allow industry (which had promised that rough controls could be in place within six months) ample time to put its own house in order. Maintaining the threat of certificates of origin on finished diamonds, the Hall legislation would keep the pressure on both industry and diamond producing, finishing exporting, and importing countries to move forward with the Rough Controls process. It also provides a valuable nudge to the industry too more quickly develop means of sourcing cut and finished diamonds technology that is currently still in the developmental stages.

Urge everyone concerned about the role of diamonds in fueling cruel conflict in Sierra Leone and Angola to immediately contact the Members of Congress and urge them to act favorably on the revised "Carat Act" if and when it comes before them.

For more information, contact Holly Burkhalter at Physicians for Human Rights *( 202) 728-5335.