Blood diamonds, also known as conflict diamonds, are diamonds mined in war zones and sold to fund insurgencies and rebel military actions against legitimate governments. Violence, threats, torture, and slavery are used in the mining of these diamonds, which are then smuggled into the international diamond trade. Over 50,000 lives have been lost due to conflict surrounding blood diamonds in West Africa. In response, the Kimberley Process was established in 2003 to certify the origin of diamonds and prevent conflict diamonds from entering mainstream markets.
4. What is Blood Diamond?
• Blood diamonds are also known as “conflict
diamonds” and are usually produced in areas
controlled by rebel forces that are opposed to
governments. The rebels use violence to force
men, women and children into slave labour to mine
the diamonds. The diamonds are used to purchase
arms and fund their military actions. Through out
the entire operation violence, threats, torture and
slavery are practiced hence ‘Blood
5. The diamonds are smuggled
onto the international
diamond trade and then sold
as legitimate stones. The
flow of conflict diamonds
originated mainly from West
Africa in places like Sierra
Leone, Angola, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Liberia
and Ivory Coast.
6. History.
• First Diamond was found by a young boy
named Stephanus in South Africa
• Gave it to his neighbor named Niekerk
• Niekerk gives it to traveling salesman
• . . And later Displayed at World Fair in Paris in
1867, & declared to be a diamond and
named ‘ Eureka’ !!!
7. History
• More diamonds were found during the time &
this was the start of the history of bloodshed
in Africa
• Mining became a big time activity
• Realizing worth & preciousness of diamonds
• Local people began competing each other
, and started War among themselves.
8. History
• Major profits is used by rebels & Warlords
• Forced labor, Child labor, Killing, Beatings,
Smuggling, and Corruption Burning of houses
and live stock have arisen with a high rate
with no law enforcement to resrict.
9. • “Blood diamonds” costed more than 50,000
people dead !
• Half Million of Refugee's and thousands of
amputees.
10. Sierra Leone (West Africa)
• Major source of hard currency was Diamond
Mining
• In 1991 - A rebel group entered the country &
took control of it’s mining cities.
• Rebels attempted to overthrow the
government, & an illegal diamond trade was
conducted openly.
11. The group cut off thousands of hands & feet
to show their power.
They even cut off the hands of children and
infants
More then 30,000 people were killed at that
time.
12. What's being
done to stop ?
• The Kimberley Process of Certification
Scheme (KPCS) is the process established in 2003
to prevent conflict Blood Diamonds from
entering the mainstream market.
• The KPCS was introduced by United Nations
General Assembly. The process was set up "to
ensure that diamond purchases were not
financing violence by rebel movements and their
allies seeking to undermine legitimate
governments
13. • The KP has done more than just blocking the
flow of conflict diamonds, it has also helped to
stabilise fragile countries and supported their
development.
• As the KP has made life harder for criminals, it
has brought large volumes of diamonds onto
the legal market.
• This has increased the revenues of poor
governments.
14. Remember.
• So if you’re buying diamonds it’s crucial to
make sure you get some sort of
documentation that the diamond your buying
originated from a conflict free source.