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No Conflict Diamonds | Blood Diamonds are for Never

June 1, 2006, 1:37 pm

For those who might not know, the Kimberly Process is a joint venture by the gov’t, the diamond industry, and civil society initiatives for the purpose of stemming the flow of conflict diamonds - rough diamonds that are used by rebels to finance wars against gov’ts.

Which no rational humanitarian can argue against being wonderful, at least ideally.

But in the process, many see a large degree of loopholes remaining. Namely in the continued existence of agriculturally decimating mining in areas that rape the land for any other use, child labor run at the cost of veritable slavery, and a general need of real independent management and monitoring … to name a few.

To which came to me upon some browsing, for some further information on possible oversight, the efforts of One Sky’s Blood Diamonds are for Never campaign. So that the preventative measures of the K.P. can at some point, hopefully, give some activities for other’s searching through the same questions raised here not a month ago. Because, as consumers, don’t you want to be able to trust the diamond industry enough to be able to live with what you wear? Because at what cost, can you afford to bling?

    • —B | no comments
    (posted in the diamond, conflict diamonds, what are conflict diamonds, conflict diamond mining, what is a conflict diamond category)

    No Conflict Diamonds | What is the Conflict

    May 7, 2006, 10:37 am

    An article I found by Raquel Montague that speaks to the issue of blood, or conflict, diamonds and what you, as a consumer, should do and know about it.

    Back in the year 2000, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on the role of diamonds in fuelling conflict. In taking up this agenda item, the General Assembly formally recognized that the illicit diamond trade plays a significant role in armed conflict, especially in the case of Sierra Leone.

    Conflict diamonds are diamonds that are sold to fund the activities of rebel, military, and terrorist groups. The countries most affected by the illegal diamond trade are Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These are all places where citizens have been terrorized, mutilated, and killed by groups in control of the local diamond trade.

    [Continued …]

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    (posted in the diamond, diamonds, conflict diamonds, conflict diamonds africa, sierra leone diamond conflict, what are conflict diamonds, diamond conflict in sierra leone, what is a conflict diamond category)

    No Conflict Diamonds | Tack on my agenda too, old boy

    April 29, 2006, 2:11 pm

    Several weeks ago, I’d written about a movie that’s currently in production, entitled Blood Diamond. The synopsis is based around the horrific civil war in Sierra Leone, circa 1999, revolving primarily around two men’s interwoven lives with ‘blood diamonds,” also known as ‘’conflict diamonds”. Which are the precious stones used to finance rebellions, privateers, and terrorists.

    Bringing us to now, when upon searching for any news on the movie’s release date, I came across a press release from The World Diamond Council relating to the movie. Apparently, a few months ago during the last Annual Meeting of the World Diamond Council, Kago G. Moshashane, the chairman of the Kimberly Process and the deputy permanent secretary fo Botswana’s Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, and Eli Izhakoff, the chairman of the World Diamond Council, sent a jointly composed letter to Edward Zwick, the producer of the Blood Diamond.

    Within it, they requested that the movie “provide accurate and up to date information about the conflict diamond trade in Sierra Leone”, and noted that the period in which the movie is set “predates the implementation of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme. And thus, without clearly mentioning this fact, the movie could present a distorted picture of reality to the general public.” - From their own website.

    Now, what makes no sense to me about all of that is, how much clearer can the past be from the present, if it isn’t happening anymore? Is the movie now going to be responsible for the lack of education on crisis’ around the world, if they don’t find some way to adjoin the agenda of this company? Not to mention, why is the Kimberly Process Certification Process called a scheme? What is a negative connotation for two hundred Alex?

    I mean, in all the situations of the world, that’s on the agenda of the Council set to end such? And haven’t they heard, even bad press is supposed to be good press. Without even needing to wrest creative control through outside sources, that don’t accurately deal with the situation as it was in that time frame anyways. Or maybe we should just make sure all movies begin with the aftermath of the end. I mean, that wouldn’t not make sense or anything. No. Not at all. Maybe we could even tack on an addendum reminder of that little thing called the first amendment too.

    • —B | no comments
    (posted in the diamond, diamonds, conflict-free diamonds, conflict diamonds, conflict diamonds africa, sierra leone diamond conflict, what are conflict diamonds, diamond conflict in sierra leone, conflict free diamonds, what is a conflict diamond category)

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