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Conflict DiamondsThe recently released feature film Blood Diamond brings attention to the disturbing subject of conflict diamonds and child soldiers in Sierra Leone. Conflict diamonds are illegally traded diamonds that fund conflict, civil wars and human rights abuses. In recent years, an estimated 3.7 million people in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have died in conflicts fueled by diamonds. Two watchdog organizations have supported the film, Amnesty International and Global Witness, who initiated their joint project Combating Conflict Diamonds in 1998. Blood Diamond has received a lot of attention, due in part to a $15 million dollar campaign by the Diamond Industry to counter its impact upon consumers. They have issued countless press releases and statements claiming that the problem has been solved, and engaged hip-hop mogul and jeweler Russell Simmons to promote the sale of diamonds in order to "aid" Africa. In 2003, the international community, including industry, governments and civil society, established the Kimberley Process. It is a voluntary agreement between participating governments calling upon diamond-exporting countries to certify that batches of gems are not from a conflict country. There is no attempt to mark individual diamonds within a batch because the industry argues it would be too costly. While the Kimberley Process — together with the cooling of conflicts in Sierra Leone and elsewhere — has reduced the flow of conflict diamonds worldwide, the system still has major weaknesses. The certified diamonds are not necessarily shipped in secured packaging and are therefore susceptible to tampering. Smuggling and the lack of enforcement and controls by certifying governments means that there is no guarantee that diamonds are conflict-free. Further, the definition of "conflict" upon which the Kimberley Process is based applies only to civil wars that are fueled by arms obtained through illicit diamond trades. The Kimberley Process does not include violence, forced labor or other human rights abuses in the diamond-producing areas. Tom Zoellner, an author who researched the industry for his book The Heartless Stone, points out that in addition, the Kimberley Process doesn’t concern itself with objectionable practices like the use of child labor in India, where most diamonds are polished. He argues, however, that a boycott of diamonds is not the answer since so many Africans depend on diamonds for their livelihood. The best defense against dirty diamonds, he said, is to ask questions. The issues of African diamonds are complex and difficult. Given the wealth of the industry, groups like Global Witness and Amnesty International have argued that tighter controls, stricter penalties and independent verification of member government claims should be happening at a much faster pace. Some people are sourcing their diamonds from Canada to avoid any possibility of fueling conflict or indirectly supporting human rights abuses. The Kimberley Process for diamonds was an important first step, but an independent, third-party system that includes diamonds, gold and other precious metals is needed. We hope that as a result of the movie, jewelers and consumers will demand that the jewelry industry make a greater effort in this direction. For additional information and opportunities to get involved, visit the Blood Diamond Action website, For more in-depth information about the diamond trade, we suggest the following books:
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