Brian Harrington Spier/flickr
It is the same as a conflict diamond, war diamond, a converted or hot diamond. The name refers to the circumstances surrounding the sourcing of the precious stone mined in war zones under less than acceptable working conditions. ‘Blood diamond’ may also refer to a blockbuster film starring Leonardo DiCaprio which is set during the Sierra Leone Civil War.
The film brought the issues to the attention of the masses. It shows a country torn apart by the struggle between government soldiers and rebel forces financed by the illegal rocks. Rough diamonds have been used by rebel movements to finance war against legitimate governments. Al Qaeda is believed to have been at least partly financed by west African conflict diamonds. Tracking their activity proves to be very difficult without bank accounts.
Unethically sourced, the labour force does not benefits from the billion dollar industry in fact they don’t even enjoy acceptable working conditions. Slave labour was rife in African nations such as Sierra Leone, People’s Republic of Congo and Botswana. Child labour is believed to have been used in the polishing process in India. Canadian diamonds on the other hand are traced from source, to cutter, to wholesaler, to the jewelers and offer a conflict-free alternative. They are distinguishable by the polar bear hallmark, free from violence and human rights abuses.
A complete boycott of African diamonds would probably have a huge negative impact on the countries in question because for example in Botswana diamond exports account for a third of the GDP. It’s a tough call, in More Economically Developed Countries the consumer decision can be based on the policy of the jewelry shop. Kimberely Process Certification Scheme helps with this.
A conference held in Kimberely, South Africa led to the establishment of the Kimberely Process in 2000. Now with 49 members the scheme boasts a decrease in the international trade in conflict diamonds down from around 15% to less than 0.1% in just 20 years. This statistic represents an increase in the stability of previously fragile countries by making life harder for criminals. The Kimberely Process facilitates the release of large volumes of diamonds onto the legal market that would not otherwise have made it there increasing vital revenues for poor governments. Allowing the country’s development challenges to be met.
Prevalence in pop culture has not only raised the image of ‘ice’, ‘Diamonds are a girls best friend’, but also the realities of where they come from. The rap artist Lupe Fiasco’s take on the song, ‘Diamonds are forever’, educates the public about the realities of ‘bling’, “Shooters of the innocent, torturers of the witnesses, burners of the businesses, And my bracelet was the fuel”. So we can make informed decisions on where to get our diamonds. They’re not everyday buys but when we do purchase that special rock we can make sure we’re not putting anyone in a hard place and that instead we’re helping nations prosper from their rich natural resources.
In short, the answer to ‘what are blood diamonds?’ is – they are not the kind you want to wear. Buying conflict-free diamonds or cultured diamond can help end the demand for other people’s misery.