Diamond mining today is predominantly associated with the film, “Blood Diamond.” The idea behind a conflict diamond is that the money earned through the sale of the rough diamond by revolutionaries in certain African countries is used to fund their militias and purchase weapons. Many of these militias force their countrymen to mine the diamonds. Thanks to the efforts of the United Nations, an international monitoring system called the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is now in place to ensure that diamonds are not mined by forced labor or sold to fund revolutionaries. 61 nations currently participate in this process.
Despite what many consumers think, responsible jewelers and manufacturers can ensure that their diamonds are “Neutral” through ethical sourcing and not in any way funding conflict in the countries where they are mined or traded through.
At Fire & Ice we go to great lengths to ensure that the diamonds we procure are from reputable sources participating in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and can provide proof of the diamonds handling and possession from the time they are removed from the earth. These diamonds are what we call Conscience Diamonds.
Since the time period surrounding “Blood Diamond” in 1999, representatives of the diamond industry and NGOs met in Kimberley, South Africa, in May 2000 to discuss how conflict trade can be ended. After three years of a difficult negotiating process, an international diamond certification program that requires governments to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are free from conflict diamonds was established. This was officially launched in January 2003. It was endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Participating countries must pass legislation to enforce the Kimberley Process and must also set up control systems for the import and export of rough diamonds. Participants are only allowed to trade rough diamonds with other participants. The aim is to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the Kimberley Process system.
The Kimberley Process has significantly reduced the number of conflict diamonds in circulation. It is now estimated that only 1% of the annual production of diamonds are traded outside the Kimberley Process. However, major changes and increased vigilance are still needed to ensure the total extermination of conflict diamonds from the industry.
It is also very important to bear in mind that the diamond industry remains crucial to the economies of many African countries as diamond exports are their major source of income, and not buying diamonds would actually do more harm than good. The diamond industry alone is thought to support over 10 million people world-wide. It is crucial to the survival of these people who in most cases have no alternative source of employment or income.
To find out more about conflict diamonds and the Kimberley process, visit the World Diamond Council's website at: www.diamondfacts.org
|
