Blood diamond

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For other uses, see Blood diamond (disambiguation).

Panning for diamonds in Sierra Leone

In relation to diamond trading, conflict diamond (also called a converted diamond, blood diamond, hot
diamond, or war diamond) refers to a diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency,
invading army's war efforts, or a warlord's activity, usually in Africa[1] where around two-thirds of the world's
diamonds are extracted.[2] The phenomenon of conflict minerals has the same nature.
Contents
[hide]

1 History
o

1.1 Angola

1.2 Liberia and Sierra Leone

1.3 Cte d'Ivoire

1.4 Democratic Republic of the Congo

1.5 The Republic of Congo

1.6 Zimbabwe
2 Conflict diamond campaign

2.1 Kimberley Process Certification Scheme

2.2 Transparency

3 American policy
4 Canadian policy
5 Popular culture
6 References
o

6.1 Notes

6.2 Literature
7 External links

[edit]History
[edit]Angola
Main articles: Angolan Civil War Diamonds and 2000s in Angola 2007
Angola, a colony of Portugal, gained independence on November 11, 1975. Although independent, the Popular
Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the National Union for the Total Independence of
Angola (UNITA), and the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) fought in a civil war from 1974 to 2001.
Between 1992 and 1998, in violation of the 1991 Bicesse Accords, UNITA sold diamonds, valued at US$3.72
billion,[3] to finance its war with the government.[4] The UN recognized the role that diamonds played in funding
the UNITA rebels and in 1998 passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 1173 and United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1176, banning the purchase of conflict diamonds from Angola. [4][5][5] Resolution 1173
was the first resolution by the UN which specifically mentioned diamonds in the context of funding a war.
Reports estimated that as much as 20% of the total production in the 1980s was being sold for illegal purposes
and 19% was specifically conflict in nature.[6] By 1999, the illegal diamond trade was estimated by the World
Diamond Council to have been reduced to 3.06% of the world's diamond production.[7][8] The World Diamond
Council reported that by 2004 this percentage had fallen to approximately 1%. [6][8]
Despite the UN Resolution, UNITA was able to continue to sell or barter some diamonds in order to finance its
war effort. The UN set out to find how this remaining illicit trade was being conducted and appointed Canadian
ambassador Robert Fowler to investigate. In 2000, he produced the Fowler Report, which named those
countries, organizations and individuals involved in the trade. The report is credited with establishing the link

between diamonds and third world conflicts,[9] and led directly to United Nations Security Council Resolution
1295, as well as the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

[edit]Liberia

and Sierra Leone

From 1989 to 2003, Liberia was engaged in a civil war. In 2000, the UN accused Liberian president Charles G.
Taylor of supporting the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) insurgency in neighboring Sierra Leone with
weapons and training in exchange for diamonds.[citation needed] In 2001, the UN applied sanctions on the Liberian
diamond trade. In August 2003, Taylor stepped down as president and, after being exiled to Nigeria, faced trial
in The Hague. On July 21, 2006 he pleaded not guilty to crimes against humanity and war crimes.[4]
Around the time of the 1998 United States embassy bombings, al-Qaeda allegedly bought gems from Liberia
as some of its other financial assets were frozen. [10]
Having regained peace, Liberia is attempting to construct a legitimate diamond mining industry. The UN has
lifted sanctions and Liberia is now a member of the Kimberley Process.[11]

[edit]Cte

d'Ivoire

Cte d'Ivoire (also known as the Ivory Coast) began to develop a fledgling diamond mining industry in the early
1990s. A coup overthrew the government in 1999, starting a civil war. The country became a route for exporting
diamonds from Liberia and war-torn Sierra Leone. [4][12] Foreign investment began to withdraw from the Ivory
Coast. To curtail the illegal trade, the nation stopped all diamond mining and the UN Security Council banned
all exports of diamonds from Cte d'Ivoire in December 2005. [4] Despite UN sanctions, however, the illicit
diamond trade still exists in Cte d'Ivoire. Rough diamonds are exported out of the country to neighboring
states and international trading centers through the northern, Forces Nouvelles controlled section of the
country, a group which is reported to be using these funds to re-arm. [13][14]

[edit]Democratic

Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) has suffered numerous civil wars in the 1990s, but has
become a member of the Kimberley Process and now exports about 8% of the world's diamonds. [4] One of De
Beers' most celebrated and priceless diamonds, the flawless D-colour 200 carats (40 g) Millennium Star was
discovered in the DRC and sold to De Beers during the height of the Civil War that took place in the early to
mid-nineties.

[edit]The

Republic of Congo

The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) was expelled from the Kimberley Process in 2004 [15] because,
despite having no official diamond mining industry, the country was exporting large quantities of diamonds, the
origin of which it could not detail. It was also accused of falsifying certificates of origin. The Republic of Congo
was readmitted in 2007.[15]

[edit]Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean diamonds are not considered conflict diamonds by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
In the past, the chaotic production at Marange and smuggling resulted in monitoring by theWorld Diamond
Council.[16]
In July 2010, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme agreed that diamonds from the country's
disputed Marange Diamond Fields could be sold on the international market,[17] after a report from the
Scheme's monitor a month earlier described diamonds mined from the fields as conflict-free.[18]

[edit]Conflict

diamond campaign

Global Witness was one of the first organizations to pick up on the link between diamonds and conflicts in
Africa in its 1998 report entitled "A Rough Trade".[19][20] With the passing of United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1173 in 1998, the United Nations too identified the conflict diamond issue as a funding for war.
The Fowler Report in 2000 detailed in depth how UNITA was financing its war activities, and in May 2000, led
directly to the passing of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1295 and the diamond producing
countries of southern Africa meeting in Kimberley, South Africa to plan a method by which the trade in conflict
diamonds could be halted, and buyers of diamonds could be assured that their diamonds have not contributed
to violence.[21][22] In this resolution the Security Council wrote:
Welcomes the proposal that a meeting of experts be convened for the purpose of devising a system of controls
to facilitate the implementation of the measures contained in Resolution 1173 (1998), including arrangements
that would allow for increased transparency and accountability in the control of diamonds from their point of
origin to the bourses, emphasizes that it is important that, in devising such controls, every effort be made to
avoid inflicting collateral damage on the legitimate diamond trade, and welcomes the intention of the Republic
of South Africa to host a relevant conference this year [23]

[edit]Kimberley

Process Certification Scheme

Main article: Kimberley Process Certification Scheme

On July 19, 2000, the World Diamond Congress adopted at Antwerp a resolution to strengthen the diamond
industry's ability to block sales of conflict diamonds.[24][25] The resolution called for an international certification
system on the export and import of diamonds, legislation in all countries to accept only officially sealed
packages of diamonds, for countries to impose criminal charges on anyone trafficking in conflict diamonds, and
instituted a ban on any individual found trading in conflict diamonds from the diamond bourses of the World
Federation of Diamond Bourses.[25] The Kimberley Process was led by the diamond-producing African countries
themselves. Also in tourist states like Dubai, before gemstone could be allowed through their airport to other
countries, the Kimberley Certification must be presented by the gem's owner.[26]

On January 1718 of 2001, diamond industry figures convened and formed the new organization, the World
Diamond Council. This new body set out to draft a new process, whereby all diamond rough could be certified
as coming from a non-conflict source.[27]
The KPCS was given approval by the UN on March 13, 2002,[28] and in November, after two years of
negotiation between governments, diamond producers, and Non-Government organizations, the Kimberley
Process Certification Scheme (KPCS.) was created.
The Kimberley Process attempted to curtail the flow of conflict diamonds, help stabilize fragile countries and
support their development. As the Kimberley Process has made life harder for criminals, it has brought large
volumes of diamonds onto the legal market that would not otherwise have made it there. This has increased
the revenues of poor governments, and helped them to address their countries development challenges. For
instance, some $125 million worth of diamonds were legally exported from Sierra Leone in 2006, compared to
almost none at the end of the 1990s.[citation needed]
The Kimberley Process has ultimately failed to stem the flow of blood diamonds, leading key proponents such
as Global Witness to abandon the scheme.[29]
In addition to The Kimberly Process failing to curtail the flow of conflict diamonds throughout the world there is
no guarantee that diamonds with a Kimberly Process Certification are in fact conflict free. This is due to the
nature of the corrupt government officials in the leading diamond producing countries. It is common for these
officials to be bribed with $50 to $100 U.S. dollars a day in exchange for paperwork declaring blood diamonds
Kimberly Process Certified.[30]

[edit]Transparency
The Kimberley system attempted to increase governments' transparency by forcing them to keep records of the
diamonds they are exporting and importing and how much they are worth. In theory, this would show
governments their finances so that they can be held accountable for how much they are spending for the
benefit of the country's population. However non-compliance by countries such as Venezuela has led to the
failure of accountability.[29]

[edit]American

policy

On January 18, 2001, President Bill Clinton issued Executive Order 13194 which prohibited the importation of
rough diamonds from Sierra Leone into the United States in accordance with the UN resolutions. [31] On May 22,
2001, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13213 which banned rough diamond importation from
Liberia into the United States. Liberia had been recognized by the United Nations as acting as a pipeline for
conflict diamonds from Sierra Leone.[32]

United States enacted the Clean Diamond Trade Act (CDTA) on April 25, 2003,[33] and implemented on July 29,
2003 by Executive Order 13312.[34][35] The CDTA installed the legislation to implement the KPCS in law in the
United States. The implementation of this legislation was key to the success of the KPCS, as the United States
is the largest consumer of diamonds. The CDTA states: 'As the consumer of a majority of the worlds supply of
diamonds, the United States has an obligation to help sever the link between diamonds and conflict and press
for implementation of an effective solution.[33]

[edit]Canadian

policy

During the 1990s diamond-rich areas were discovered in Northern Canada. Canada is one of the key players in
the diamond industry. Partnership Africa Canada was created in 1986 to help with the crisis in Africa. This
organization is also part of the Diamond Development Initiative. The Diamond Development Initiative helps
improve and regulate the legal diamond industry.
The Kimberley Process was initiated in May 2000 by South Africa. Canada was a major supporter of passing
this. Canada has passed several laws that help stop the trade of conflict diamonds. The laws deal with the
export and import of rough diamonds, and also how they are transferred. In December 2002 the Export and
Import of Rough Diamonds Act was passed by the Canadian government. This act acts as a system that helps
control the importing, exporting and transporting of rough diamonds through Canada. The Export and Import of
Rough Diamonds also states that the Kimberley Process is the minimum requirement of certifying rough
diamonds and a certificate is also required for all shipments of diamonds. This certificate is called the Canadian
Certificate, it gives permission for an officer to seize any shipment of diamonds that don't meet the
requirements of the Export and Import of Rough Diamonds Act.[36]
The Government of the Northwest Territories of Canada (GNWT) also has a unique certification program. They
offer a Government certificate on all diamonds that are mined, cut, and polished in the Northwest Territories of
Canada. Each diamond is also laser inscribed and recorded in a database. To obtain this certificate one must
cut and polish the diamond in the NWT.

[edit]Popular

culture

The origins of the Kimberly Process were dramatized in Ed Zwick's 2006 motion picture Blood
Diamond. The film helped to publicize the controversy surrounding conflict diamonds and led to worldwide
awareness of the Western African involvement in the diamond trade.

The James Bond film Die Another Day uses conflict diamonds as a central plot point throughout the
film.

The music video for the Kanye West song "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" from the album Late
Registration is about the illicit conflict diamond trade. The song samples the theme from another Bond
film, Diamonds Are Forever.

The video game Far Cry 2, set in an unnamed Central African country in the midst of civil war, uses
diamonds as currency.

The book Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney involves a refugee family smuggling blood
diamonds into the United States from Africa.

In the Nicolas Cage film Lord of War, blood diamonds are used as currency to purchase firearms.

In 2011 Danish filmmaker Mads Brgger published the documentary Ambassadren (aka 'The
Ambassador') about the trade in diplomatic passports in order to make money with blood diamonds.