The issue of conflict diamonds has been a subject that the diamond industry, along with governments from diamond producing countries and several important non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been grappling with for over 10 years. With the release of several documentaries on the topic as well as the new major motion picture "Blood Diamond, public awareness of the issue will undoubtedly be raised. This presents an opportunity for industry and government leaders to account for steps they have taken to deal with the problem. The World Diamond Council website contains detailed information on the world's response to the problem of conflict diamonds as well as data on the socioeconomic impact of the diamond industry in Africa and throughout the world.
The term "conflict diamonds," now known as "blood diamonds, refers to the fact that a limited number of diamond producing areas in Central and West Africa were commandeered in the mid 1990's by insurgent groups who forcibly took control of production. These warlords would sell the diamonds on the black market to purchase weapons and ammunition fueling their violent power grab. This cycle of violence led to enormous death and destruction.
Diamonds are mined in many locations around the world and most production comes from highly mechanized open-pit mines where diamonds are removed from rock. These mines are tightly controlled and regulated. In Central and West Africa there are areas where the diamonds have been eroded out of the rock and carried by rivers and deposited over wide areas. These alluvial deposits are "mined" manually by individual diggers where control and regulation is tenuous or non-existent. Insurgent groups were able to forcibly exert control over a few such areas in the countries of Sierra Leone, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo for several years during the mid 1990's.
The horrific consequences of the violence for the diggers and their communities brought the world together in the year 2000 to bring an end to the catastrophe. In 2002, under the auspices of the United Nations,a framework known as the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KP) was put in place that eventually cut off the ability of these insurgent groups to market their diamonds.
According to NGO Partnership Africa Canada (PAC), "the KP now involves 75 countries and controls the movement of all rough diamonds from mine to market, throughout the world. It's a unique system that goes beyond governments, involving the private sector and civil society organizations in a system that has continued to improve since it came on stream in 2003."
Today, it is estimated that conflict diamonds represent less than 1% of the total diamond supply. In the words of PAC, "The significance of these achievements in the diamond world and in the history of the diamond industry cannot be underestimated. They are worth celebrating. And they are worth protecting."
The ultimate goal of all the participants in the KP is not only the complete elimination of conflict diamonds from the supply chain, but just as importantly, to put mechanisms in place to ensure that communities involved in diamond mining obtain substantial benefit from the resource in order to rebuild and develop their infrastructures. In 2005 the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) was created for this purpose and is supported by governments, NGO's and the diamond industry.
The release of the major motion picture "Blood Diamond, a fictional story set in the backdrop of Sierra Leone in the 1990's, may serve to bring additional attention to the issue and may contribute to solving the problem. However, there is a real chance that the publicity will actually make things worse for the people whose lives have been impacted the most. If the message that the public gets from the film is that by boycotting diamonds they will somehow be part of the solution, then Hollywood will have done a serious disservice not only to the millions of people throughout the world whose livelihoods are connected to the industry, but in particular to those very people who have had their lives shattered by the violence of conflict diamonds.
It is incumbent upon every industry to be socially responsible and it is the duty of governments to ensure that ethical business practices are enforced. Every industry has similar social concerns: the garment industry must insure their products are manufactured using fair labor practices and the oil industry is accountable for environmental impacts. It is the duty of governments to put in place and enforce laws that will give consumers confidence that each product brought to market is one that contributes to the betterment of society.
It is very illuminating to note that PAC, one of the most prominent NGO's whose efforts prompted the world to take action against conflict diamonds and which might be considered an opponent of the diamond industry, is imploring the public NOT to boycott diamonds. A drop in diamond demand will not only hurt millions of people in the diamond industry worldwide who have nothing to do with conflict diamonds, but will directly harm those struggling in Africa to overcome the ravages of the very conflicts, poverty and exploitation at the heart of the issue. The position of PAC is that KP is working and has helped bring the conflicts to and end. PAC's primary efforts now are focussed on redevelopment, in particular the DDI, which will be fundamental to successful rebuilding and for future of diamond mining communities.
It is vital to gain a balanced view of the subject of conflict diamonds and to understand the successful steps that have been taken and the challenges that remain. Only a rational approach will ensure that we as a global community continue to make progress on this important issue.
The term "conflict diamonds," now known as "blood diamonds, refers to the fact that a limited number of diamond producing areas in Central and West Africa were commandeered in the mid 1990's by insurgent groups who forcibly took control of production. These warlords would sell the diamonds on the black market to purchase weapons and ammunition fueling their violent power grab. This cycle of violence led to enormous death and destruction.
Diamonds are mined in many locations around the world and most production comes from highly mechanized open-pit mines where diamonds are removed from rock. These mines are tightly controlled and regulated. In Central and West Africa there are areas where the diamonds have been eroded out of the rock and carried by rivers and deposited over wide areas. These alluvial deposits are "mined" manually by individual diggers where control and regulation is tenuous or non-existent. Insurgent groups were able to forcibly exert control over a few such areas in the countries of Sierra Leone, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo for several years during the mid 1990's.
The horrific consequences of the violence for the diggers and their communities brought the world together in the year 2000 to bring an end to the catastrophe. In 2002, under the auspices of the United Nations,a framework known as the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KP) was put in place that eventually cut off the ability of these insurgent groups to market their diamonds.
According to NGO Partnership Africa Canada (PAC), "the KP now involves 75 countries and controls the movement of all rough diamonds from mine to market, throughout the world. It's a unique system that goes beyond governments, involving the private sector and civil society organizations in a system that has continued to improve since it came on stream in 2003."
Today, it is estimated that conflict diamonds represent less than 1% of the total diamond supply. In the words of PAC, "The significance of these achievements in the diamond world and in the history of the diamond industry cannot be underestimated. They are worth celebrating. And they are worth protecting."
The ultimate goal of all the participants in the KP is not only the complete elimination of conflict diamonds from the supply chain, but just as importantly, to put mechanisms in place to ensure that communities involved in diamond mining obtain substantial benefit from the resource in order to rebuild and develop their infrastructures. In 2005 the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) was created for this purpose and is supported by governments, NGO's and the diamond industry.
The release of the major motion picture "Blood Diamond, a fictional story set in the backdrop of Sierra Leone in the 1990's, may serve to bring additional attention to the issue and may contribute to solving the problem. However, there is a real chance that the publicity will actually make things worse for the people whose lives have been impacted the most. If the message that the public gets from the film is that by boycotting diamonds they will somehow be part of the solution, then Hollywood will have done a serious disservice not only to the millions of people throughout the world whose livelihoods are connected to the industry, but in particular to those very people who have had their lives shattered by the violence of conflict diamonds.
It is incumbent upon every industry to be socially responsible and it is the duty of governments to ensure that ethical business practices are enforced. Every industry has similar social concerns: the garment industry must insure their products are manufactured using fair labor practices and the oil industry is accountable for environmental impacts. It is the duty of governments to put in place and enforce laws that will give consumers confidence that each product brought to market is one that contributes to the betterment of society.
It is very illuminating to note that PAC, one of the most prominent NGO's whose efforts prompted the world to take action against conflict diamonds and which might be considered an opponent of the diamond industry, is imploring the public NOT to boycott diamonds. A drop in diamond demand will not only hurt millions of people in the diamond industry worldwide who have nothing to do with conflict diamonds, but will directly harm those struggling in Africa to overcome the ravages of the very conflicts, poverty and exploitation at the heart of the issue. The position of PAC is that KP is working and has helped bring the conflicts to and end. PAC's primary efforts now are focussed on redevelopment, in particular the DDI, which will be fundamental to successful rebuilding and for future of diamond mining communities.
It is vital to gain a balanced view of the subject of conflict diamonds and to understand the successful steps that have been taken and the challenges that remain. Only a rational approach will ensure that we as a global community continue to make progress on this important issue.
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