| If you are in the market for a beautiful piece of | | | | goal of the Kimberley Process is to halt the |
| diamond jewelry, such as an engagement ring, it is | | | | movement of blood diamonds into retail space and to |
| vital that you pause to consider where that beautiful | | | | ensure that human rights abuse funded through the |
| diamond comes from. Although diamonds have for | | | | illegal trade of diamonds is stopped. |
| long been loved and admired for their unique beauty, | | | | Currently, there are 48 parties that actively |
| people have not known anything about where they | | | | participate in the Kimberley Process, with 74 |
| actually come from. Now that is changing, as more | | | | countries represented. These participants include all |
| and more people have access to information. You | | | | major countries who have a hand in producing, |
| may have heard of conflict diamonds and perhaps | | | | importing and exporting diamonds. This is certainly an |
| you would like to avoid buying any; however, finding | | | | important step when it comes to banning the |
| out if they are conflict diamonds is actually more | | | | presence of blood diamonds in the market, but the |
| difficult than you might think. | | | | truth of the matter is that the process still has a long |
| The way African wars have been conducted has | | | | way to go. There is a great deal of debate when it |
| changed drastically as a direct result of the trade in | | | | comes to ascertaining how diamonds are sourced and |
| conflict diamonds. Through the blood diamond trade | | | | even how to track them. |
| rebel or terrorist groups are able to secure the funds | | | | If you are in a place where you are considering the |
| that they need to exist and to finance their wars. As | | | | purchase of a diamond, what are your choices going |
| a result, hundreds of thousands of innocent men, | | | | to be? Making it a priority to purchase only |
| women and children have been injured, tortured, | | | | conflict-free diamonds is one thing, but how do you |
| mutilated and killed. Conflict diamonds mean misery | | | | follow through? More than one conscientious |
| and suffering for countless ordinary civilians. | | | | consumer has run into a brick wall when searching |
| Angola is one country that has suffered due to the | | | | out conflict free diamonds. They may be told that |
| diamond trade. After gaining independence from | | | | there is no way of telling where the diamonds are |
| Portugal in 1975, there were several groups who | | | | from, or they may be pushed off in other ways. |
| fought for control of the country, and UNITA, the | | | | But if you are determined not to purchase a blood |
| National Union for the Total Control of Angola, was | | | | diamond, there are certain things that you can do |
| one of them. This group sold diamonds abroad in | | | | that might help. Firstly, ask the jeweler to tell you |
| order to finance their war on their government. In | | | | where the diamonds originated. However, because |
| Cote d'Ivoire, a route has developed in order to take | | | | there are many dishonest people out there you need |
| diamonds out of Liberia and the war zone of Sierra | | | | more than just their word on the matter, and so, |
| Leone. The Republic of Congo, despite having no | | | | secondly, request proof that the diamonds are not |
| official diamond mining industry, has faced sanctions | | | | conflict diamonds. If the jewelry company you are |
| due to the export of large numbers of diamonds | | | | dealing with cannot provide you with written copies |
| with no explanation of where they are from. | | | | of their policy when it comes to blood diamonds, or |
| The free world has begun looking into means that will | | | | statements from their suppliers, then this should |
| allow them to curtail the use of the diamond market | | | | definitely be viewed with suspicion on your part. |
| by people who would finance military action, but in | | | | Although it might require some extra effort, it is so |
| many cases it has been a hard struggle. The biggest | | | | important that you do your bit in helping to ban the |
| step towards this goal is known as the Kimberley | | | | blood diamond trade. Your conscience will be clear |
| Process Certification Scheme. Pushed through by the | | | | because you will also know that you have not |
| UN, this is a process that is designed to certify the | | | | contributed in any way to the ongoing suffering of |
| origin of all rough diamonds that have come from | | | | countless thousands of innocent people. |
| sources that are considered conflict free. The primary | | | | |