Opening Statement of the Hon. Charles B. Rangel, a Representative in Congress from the State of New York

Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Trade
of the House Committee on Ways and Means

Hearing on Conflict Diamonds

October 10, 2001

Diamonds should enrich the lives of the African people. Instead of wealth, however, diamonds in Angola, Sierra Leone, and elsewhere are bringing pain and suffering. For several years, rebel groups in sub-Saharan Africa have been using diamonds extracted from illegally controlled mines to finance arms purchases and civil war activities. The sale of these so-called "conflict diamonds" – estimated to account for about 4 per cent of the global diamond trade – has played a key role in financing organizations that have killed several million people, driven millions more from their homes, and committed countless human rights abuses.

The two Security Council resolutions calling for UN Members to prohibit the trade in conflict diamonds from Sierra Leone and Angola are welcome first steps toward preventing rebel groups from financing their civil war activities and human rights abuses through illegal diamond trade.

We are further encouraged that the Administration has been actively engaged, along with a wide range of other governments, industry representatives, and non-governmental organizations, in the Kimberley Process, which will develop a system for monitoring the rough diamond trade that will enable governments to restrict trade in illegal diamonds.

Congress has a critical role to play in this process. As you know, the Clean Diamonds Trade Act, H.R. 2722, has been referred to this Committee. This broadly supported legislation demonstrates the United States’ commitment to curbing the trade in "conflict diamonds" and sends a powerful message to the international community that they need to work as quickly as possible to develop an international system for monitoring the diamond trade.

Time is of the essence – every day we delay action will prolong the trade in conflict diamonds and the atrocities associated with it. We ask that we all work together to pass this legislation before the end of the year.

As you know, last year the Congress passed and the President signed into law historic legislation that recognizes that the nations of sub-Saharan Africa can be our partners in economic progress and prosperity. In working to pass that legislation, we recognized that the bill would not be a panacea for the continent. We understood that creating a new framework for closer economic cooperation with the region, while a good first step, was only the beginning.

Now we continue our commitment to the nations of sub-Saharan Africa, calling for effective measures that will sever a key source of funding for organizations that have been causing pain and suffering in many nations. In doing so, we will preserve the dignity of an industry which can and should be a source of wealth for countries around the world.