What Are Conflict-Free Diamonds?
Many have lost their lives because of conflict diamonds or blood diamonds. A conflict diamond is a diamond from a war-torn area where money from diamond mining funds a brutal regime. Many conflict diamonds originate in African countries such as Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the Conflict-Free Diamond Council. Neighboring countries often participate in the trading and polishing of the diamonds, so identifying where diamonds come from can be difficult. Does this Spark an idea?
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Conflict
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The origination of the name "blood diamond" stems from the tracing back of diamonds to monies used for civil wars, according to Brilliant Earth. Workers often endure brutal working conditions, abuse and death as a result of conflict diamonds. Children may even be forced to work in dangerous conditions, in areas adults can't mine. Many children forced into diamond labor, don't have an education and live in extreme poverty. The children make little money for their efforts.
The Kimberly Process
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Because of the bloodshed and forced labor caused by conflict diamonds, many diamond industries, the United Nations and organizations developed the Kimberly Certification Process. The Kimberly Process was adopted in 2003, as an initiative to prevent conflict diamonds from entering into the legitimate diamonds market. Because of the Kimberly Process, those wishing to sell diamonds must certify that their diamonds are conflict-free.
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Issues
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The Kimberley Process does contain loopholes. "The Kimberley Process only accounts for uncut and rough diamonds, states" according to Global Witness. This means cut conflict diamonds can possibly find their way into jewelry stores. The Kimberley Process falls short of implementing policies essential for regulating how diamonds find their way into retail stores.
Being Aware
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When buying a diamond, ask your jeweler for an audit trail. An audit trail can tie a diamond to its location of mining, where it was cut and polished, and whether the diamond has an engraved serial number. When a diamond has an engraved serial number, the diamond becomes unique. An audit trail can help implement a system that keeps conflict diamonds from entering into a batch of clean diamonds.
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