Diamonds that fund devastating civil wars, diamonds used by warloards and rebels to buy arms, diamonds associated with bloody violence, human rights abuses, terrorism, and environmental damage - these are blood diamonds, also known as conflict diamonds.
They have funded conflicts in Africa that have displaced and killed millions of people. These illegal diamonds have also been used by terrorist groups like al-Qaeda to finance their terrorist activities all over the world.
Workers in the blood diamond trade are subject to exploitation, brutality, poverty, dangerous working conditions, torture, maiming, and death. Many workers are children, unprotected by any child labor laws.
Legitimate or fair trade diamonds, which promote community development and higher incomes for diamond diggers, are supported by the Kimberley Process, where member countries pledge not to import or export conflict diamonds, as well as by organizations such as PRIDE Diamonds, a socially responsible mining organization in Sierra Leone.
However, blood diamonds are still being smuggled into the diamond market, as the diamond industry has failed to create an auditable tracking system with a solid chain of custody to ensure that diamonds are conflict free.
Sources:
1. Blood Diamonds and How to Avoid buying Illicit Gems, John Roach for National Geographic News, Dec 8, 2006, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061208-blood-diamonds_2.html
2. Website for Stop Blood Diamonds, an organization pleadged to stopping the exploitation of the diamond trade by human rights abusers, http://www.stopblooddiamonds.org/
3. Website for the World Diamond Council, http://www.diamondfacts.org/conflict/index.html
4. Wikipedia on Blood Diamonds, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_diamonds
5. Website for the Conflict Free Diamond Council, http://www.conflictfreediamonds.org/
6. Webiste for Global Witness, the first organization that sought to break the links between the exploitation of natural resources, and conflict and corruption, http://www.globalwitness.org/
7. Website for Brilliant Earth, Conflict Free Canadian Diamond Jewelry, http://www.brilliantearth.com/
8. Website for United Nations, http://www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html
They have funded conflicts in Africa that have displaced and killed millions of people. These illegal diamonds have also been used by terrorist groups like al-Qaeda to finance their terrorist activities all over the world.
Workers in the blood diamond trade are subject to exploitation, brutality, poverty, dangerous working conditions, torture, maiming, and death. Many workers are children, unprotected by any child labor laws.
Legitimate or fair trade diamonds, which promote community development and higher incomes for diamond diggers, are supported by the Kimberley Process, where member countries pledge not to import or export conflict diamonds, as well as by organizations such as PRIDE Diamonds, a socially responsible mining organization in Sierra Leone.
However, blood diamonds are still being smuggled into the diamond market, as the diamond industry has failed to create an auditable tracking system with a solid chain of custody to ensure that diamonds are conflict free.
Sources:
1. Blood Diamonds and How to Avoid buying Illicit Gems, John Roach for National Geographic News, Dec 8, 2006, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061208-blood-diamonds_2.html
2. Website for Stop Blood Diamonds, an organization pleadged to stopping the exploitation of the diamond trade by human rights abusers, http://www.stopblooddiamonds.org/
3. Website for the World Diamond Council, http://www.diamondfacts.org/conflict/index.html
4. Wikipedia on Blood Diamonds, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_diamonds
5. Website for the Conflict Free Diamond Council, http://www.conflictfreediamonds.org/
6. Webiste for Global Witness, the first organization that sought to break the links between the exploitation of natural resources, and conflict and corruption, http://www.globalwitness.org/
7. Website for Brilliant Earth, Conflict Free Canadian Diamond Jewelry, http://www.brilliantearth.com/
8. Website for United Nations, http://www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html
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