Blood diamond also known as conflict diamond has a long history of civil war. Hundreds of people had to lose their lives to get these diamonds. These Conflict Diamonds has originated from Sierra Leone, Angola, Democratic republic of Congo, Liberia and Ivory Coast. The United Nations and other groups are working to block the entry of conflict diamonds into the worldwide diamond trade to keep a check on the merchandise sold to the public.
The movie Blood Diamond traces the path of a large pink diamond. It’s found in Sierra Leone in the 1990s by fishermen working as slaves in a war zone diamond mine. That diamond transformed the lives of people and it also ended many lives. The story of that stone carries a horrific past. The story of blood diamond is an interesting fiction, but it is also based on facts and can help you comprehend how a mineral resource can fuel the oppression and slaughter of thousands of people. This is not a first-time phenomenon. It has happened before in Africa with ivory and gold.
Blood Diamonds are often mined through forced labor of men, women and children. They are also stolen during shipment or seized by attacking the mining operations of legitimate producers. These attacks can be on the scale of a large military operation.
Kimberly Process
We all needed a law and order for trading operations. Their approach on this system has been to develop a government certification procedure known as the “Kimberly Process.” This procedure ensures each nation to certify that all rough diamond exports are done through legitimate mining and sales activity and not through conflict of interest. The Kimberly Process is believed to have significantly reduced the number of Conflict Diamonds that are reaching international gem markets. Presently, 81 governments and several non-government organizations abide by the Kimberly Process. The only two nations which remain under Kimberly Process sanctions as of December, 2006 were Liberia and Ivory Coast. The World Diamond Council estimates that 99% of all diamonds are now conflict-free.
The diamonds are smuggled into the international diamond trade and sold as legitimate gems. These diamonds are often the main source of funding for the rebels, who will do anything for money and power. This is why the term “blood diamonds” is used.
