Political Facts and Tips

As more and more people become aware of the blood diamond trade, they are seeking to be part of causing its demise. If you are going to be purchasing a new piece of diamond jewelry for yourself or someone close to you, it is crucial that you take a moment to consider what the origin of the diamond was. Although admired for centuries, it is only now that people are finding out where some of the gems are from and why they are known as blood diamonds. Your commitment to finding out the answer is required, because it is often a lot more difficult as many consumers have discovered.

Conflict diamonds, which are also known as blood diamonds, are sold in order to fund different wars. The money that is made from the sale of these blood diamonds is used for such things as buying weapons or paying the soldiers. Usually these are terrorist groups and rebels against governments, especially in some African countries, where thousands of innocent civilians have been injured, tortured and killed in actions financed by selling diamonds to the Western world.

Angola is one country that has suffered due to the diamond trade. After gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, there were several groups who fought for control of the country, and UNITA, the National Union for the Total Control of Angola, was one of them. This group sold diamonds abroad in order to finance their war on their government. In Cote d’Ivoire, a route has developed in order to take diamonds out of Liberia and the war zone of Sierra Leone. The Republic of Congo, despite having no official diamond mining industry, has faced sanctions due to the export of large numbers of diamonds with no explanation of where they are from.

In order to curb the sale of conflict diamonds in the world’s diamond market, countries are looking for effective means to accomplish that objective. So far, the most thorough idea is the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. The Kimberley Process is seeking a way to completely irradicate blood diamonds in the market place. In doing so the rebel groups would not receive their much needed funding and countless thousands of innocent people will be spared as a result. The process, the uncut diamonds that come from peaceful zones must go through, determines their country of origin. Due to its effectiveness it is quite understandable why it received approval by the United Nations.

Currently, there are 48 parties that actively participate in the Kimberley Process, with 74 countries represented. These participants include all major countries who have a hand in producing, importing and exporting diamonds. This is certainly an important step when it comes to banning the presence of blood diamonds in the market, but the truth of the matter is that the process still has a long way to go. There is a great deal of debate when it comes to ascertaining how diamonds are sourced and even how to track them.

So when you find yourself in the market for a diamond jewelry, you might decide that you do not wish to help fund the rebel wars that cause so much pain, loss and misery to thousands and thousands of innocent people. But finding out where the diamond is from is not always easy as many consumers have discovered. Some places will insist that finding out the origin of the diamond is simply not possible, while others merely discourage the consumers in some other way.

You need to be persistent and insistent if you want to avoid purchasing a conflict diamond, thereby funding terrorists who perform horrendous crimes against innocent civilians, as well as causing many, many deaths. Make sure that you ask the jeweler if the gem you are interested in is a blood diamond, but do not just take his or her word for it. Ask them to show you proof of the diamond’s origins. Also, you have the right to read the company’s policy on the issue of conflict diamonds so request a written copy. You can also ask to see the statements of their particular suppliers. If any or all of this is denied to you, for whatever reason, you can be sure that something is definitely not right.

Make sure that you can purchase your diamond with a clear conscience. It might take some work, but it is certainly possible and extremely important. Always remember: when you buy a blood diamond you may pay with dollars or pounds, but by doing that you make innocent people pay with their blood.