What Are Blood or Conflict Diamonds?
As per the KPCS definition, a conflict diamond is a “rough diamond mined in an area controlled by the insurgent forces whose sale is used to finance anti-government military action.”
Interestingly, under this carefully selected definition, hardly any diamond would be classified as a conflict diamond, because by and large, no country is going through a civil war where there are insurgent groups fighting with the government and they are funding their war effort via diamonds.
As for the Kimberley Certification, it is worth noting that during the time of its formation, the civil wars have almost ended and the conflict diamond – as per the accepted definition – constituted a miniscule percentage of the total diamond trade. Unsurprisingly, conflict diamonds today constitute just 0.1% of the total diamond trade.
Does this mean all is well in the diamond trade?
NO, WE ARE MISSING AN IMPORTANT POINT AND IT IS DESIGNED TO BE THIS WAY!
Stay tuned – More to be updated soon!
