Why are blood diamonds a problem?

The tragic result is bloodshed, loss of life, and shocking human rights abuses – from rape to the use of child soldiers. Diamonds that fuel civil wars are often called "blood" or "conflict" diamonds. Although many diamond-fueled wars have now ended, conflict diamonds remain a serious problem.

Why are blood diamonds an issue?

Diamonds have funded brutal wars in countries such as Angola, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, resulting in the death and displacement of millions of people. There is a reason they are dubbed 'Blood Diamonds'.

How do blood diamonds affect the environment?

Ecological Devastation

streams from exploitation. Diamond miners have re-routed rivers and constructed dams to expose riverbeds for mining, with disastrous effects on fish and wildlife. In extreme cases, diamond mining can cause entire ecosystems to collapse.

What is being argued about blood diamonds?

Conflict or “blood” diamonds are illegally traded to fund conflict in war-torn areas, particularly in central and western Africa, according to the World Diamond council, which represents the commercial diamond trade.

Are blood diamonds unethical?

These miners are not regulated and are often responsible for environmental, health, and human rights abuses. These diamonds are also easily mixed into “clean” diamonds despite the lack of oversight. Countries like Zimbabwe are notorious for killing, raping, and maiming hundreds of artisanal miners.

Blood Diamonds and Religious War In The Central African Republic

How do blood diamonds affect the economy?

Diamonds have destabilized the economies of Angola, the Demo- cratic Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone. Millions of people have been killed and even more displaced in the three countries, in conflicts that have been partly or largely financed by blood diamonds.

Are blood diamonds still an issue?

It shows that the production of conflict diamonds still exists in Sierra Leone. According to the 2005 Country Reports on Human Right Practices of Africa from the United States, serious human rights issues still exist in Sierra Leone, even though the 11-year civil conflict had officially ended by 2002.

Why is diamond mining unethical?

Due to poor planning and weak regulation, diamond mining has caused environmental devastation, severely damaging the land and water. This irresponsible mining has caused soil erosion and deforestation, and has forced local communities to relocate.

How blood diamonds affect Africa?

In 2013, a civil war erupted in the Central African Republic, with both sides fighting over the country's diamond resources. Thousands of people have died and more than a million have been displaced. In addition, past wars fueled by diamonds have taken about 3.7 million lives.

Is the Kimberley Process working?

The Kimberley Process has done a great job in bringing down the crime rates and lowering the amount of money and supplies that rebel groups in Angola and Sierra Leone are receiving. But the values and morals that the Kimberley Process stands for have shifted over time.

What are the negative effects of diamond mining in South Africa?

An indirect effect of mining is the larger population increases strains in the water supplies and have led to an increase of pollution in rivers. On average the pollution in rivers due to acid drainage by diamond mines has increased by 36% between 1956 and 2003.

How does diamond mining cause deforestation?

Environmental Impact:

Reckless diamond mining has caused soil erosion, led to deforestation and forced populations to relocate. Mines have also re-routed rivers and exposed riverbeds for mining, which has had catastrophic effects on local wildlife.

How do blood diamonds affect Sierra Leone?

Under the cover of warfare the rebels committed heinous crimes against humanity in the form of murder, rape, and mutilation. The war between 1991 and 1999 claimed over 75,000 lives, caused 500,000 Sierra Leoneans to become refugees, and displaced half of the countries 4.5 million people[6].

Are blood diamonds still a thing 2021?

In the last decade, blood diamonds have been virtually eliminated from the global marketplace. Stricter regulation, as well as a renewed commitment from diamond manufacturers and retailers to work only with ethical suppliers, has transformed the global diamond industry for the better.

Does Tiffany use blood diamonds?

Tiffany & Co. only offers conflict-free diamonds. We have taken rigorous steps to assure that conflict diamonds do not enter our inventory. As global leaders in sustainable luxury, Tiffany & Co. is committed to sourcing natural and precious materials in an ethical and sustainable manner.

Who profits from blood diamonds?

Who profits from blood diamonds? A. Rebel movements and corrupt governments trade the diamonds, and use the profits to support their causes.

Does De Beers sell blood diamonds?

Since 2000, some independent diamond dealers have not only claimed to sell diamond bunches that they bought from rebel groups to De Beers, but also that De Beers was aware of the origin of the diamonds. Currently on their website, De Beers boasts that 100% of their diamonds are conflict free.

Can I buy blood diamonds?

However, there's sometimes a hidden, darker side to many of these dazzling gems. Before purchasing a diamond, it's imperative that you ensure it's conflict-free. Diamonds that are not conflict-free are known as blood diamonds, which means they are illegally sold in order to finance devastating wars and terrorism.

Are raw diamonds ethical?

A raw diamond ring is the most ethical option

Therefore we can trace directly to the mines and are assured that the diamonds were mined in a safe and ethical manner.

Are any diamonds conflict free?

Lab grown diamonds, also known as man made, lab created, or cultured diamonds, are 100% real diamonds and they are chemically, physically, and optically identical to earth-mined diamonds. However, unlike earth-mined diamonds, they are guaranteed conflict free.

Are GREY diamonds more ethical?

Grey​ ​Moissanite

Looking for an ethical and eco-friendly option for salt & pepper diamonds? Grey moissanite has a similar speckled appearance, making them a great (and ethical) alternative. Moissanite is about a 9.25 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, which makes them well suited for daily wear.

Why does Africa have so many diamonds?

Diamonds in Africa were formed somewhere between 600 million and 3 billion years ago when titanic-force pressure and heat caused carbon 1,200 miles (1,931 km) below the Earth's surface to crystallize. As recently as a million years ago, erupting molten rock brought the diamonds closer to the Earth's surface.

How does the Kimberley Process stop blood diamonds?

How does the Kimberley Process work? The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) imposes extensive requirements (*) on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as 'conflict-free' and prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate trade.

What are blood diamonds and what is its impact on the diamond industry?

It is an industry that was supposed to be cleaned up, after the turn-of-the-millennium notoriety surrounding so-called blood or conflict diamonds—precious stones mined in African war zones, often by forced labor, and used to fund armed rebel movements.

Why does Sierra Leone have so many diamonds?

An estimated 9 million carats of high-quality diamonds have been extracted from the small West African nation since rich alluvial deposits were first found by British colonialists in the 1930s, but the country has little to show for it.