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Introduction:
What is a conflict diamond?
Who hasn't heard of the slogan "A diamond lasts forever"? Diamonds
have always occupied a very high status in the world of jewelry.
Fueled by tradition and intense marketing campaigns, diamonds have
achieved incomparable status. Starry eyed young men present gorgeous
diamond rings to their girlfriends. Married couples exchange diamond
studded jewelry over the years as symbols to their undying love.
Celebrities and personalities don fabulous diamond jewelry whenever
they go out in public. There is absolutely no doubt as to how
valuable and sought after diamonds are.
As with most things in life, there is always something bad mixed
with the good. A diamond may be a woman's best friend but a diamond
can also be the bane of some people's existence - and I am not
talking about the man's pocket here. The term conflict diamond, or
blood diamond as others call it, became quite well-known to the
average person in 2002 when the James Bond movie "Die Another Day"
was released. This contribution to the legendary James Bond saga
revolved around the idea of smuggling conflict diamonds.
So what is a conflict diamond? The UN formally defines a conflict
diamond as a "diamond that originates from areas controlled by
forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally
recognized governments, and are used to fund military action in
opposition to those governments, or in contravention of the
decisions of the Security Council." In short, a conflict diamond is
any diamond that is mined from an area in which there is war, or
armed conflict (which includes modern-day human slavery, rape,
amputation and torture). The idea is that diamonds are very much in demand
and that they fetch such a high price in almost any market. If you
mine diamonds and sell them to other countries - of which there is
definitely no shortage - you can get a large amount of money for
them. Where does the profit from these sales go?
You guessed it - to finance wars and other forms of armed conflict
in the affected areas. The manner of mining and selling conflict
diamonds is usually done in secret. You can just imagine what the
reaction of the (average) buyer would be if he learned that he was
financing a war somewhere in Africa with his transaction. Thus,
people involved in the conflict diamond business do not really
advertise what they are doing.
Although these activities have been going on for quite some time, it
was only in 2000 that the international community formally
recognized the gravity of the situation. In December of that year,
the United Nations General Assembly recognized the role of rough
diamonds in furthering the conflicts in specific areas in Africa.
The General Assembly came up with a resolution aiming to severe the
connection between the illegal sales of diamonds and wars in
concerned areas.
With this resolution in place, countries that buy diamonds from
Africa became more aware of the illicit trade. International
sanctions were then put in place. In addition to these sanctions,
individual countries set up their own methods and processes to curb
the practice of trading conflict diamonds. The idea is that if no
one will buy, then no one will sell. People who take advantage of
conflict diamonds would have no market and thus the practice would
stop.
We all know however, that in the real world, things are never as
simple as they usually seem to be.
Everyone can do his
share in the effort to stop the mining and trading of blood
diamonds. Whether you are a consumer or a jeweler, you have it in
your power to do your part. What is needed is your realization of
the situation and a determination to take part in the worldwide
effort to put a stop to blood diamonds.
Consumer Awareness about Blood Diamonds
As a consumer, you can share you awareness with other people. Let
the whole world know about the situation in Africa and how people
are suffering because of conflict diamonds. Ultimately, the power
lies in your hands as you are the end target of the rough diamonds.
The buyers indirectly put the money in the hands of the producers.
If you don't patronize their product, then there will be no market
for them and they would be left with essentially worthless goods.
Be Proactive About Stopping Blood Diamonds
How do you share your awareness? Take advantage of the Internet.
Information has never been more accessible than today. Create a blog
or make use of your own blog to promote knowledge about blood
diamonds. Learn about the Kimberly Process and other measures that
your country has put in place. Then share this information with
everyone you know. A lot of people are already doing this and more
and more consumers are becoming concerned with the source of
diamonds. You can also take part in campaigns that NGOs and other
institutions are carrying out. These organizations can only do so
much. They need the support of the general population to make their
efforts worthwhile. Finally, be discriminating when you buy your
diamonds. Ask for certification papers and ensure that your jeweler
has anti-blood diamond buying policies. It may seem a tiny effort
but big things are born out of little things.
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