The diamond-fueled mayhem that occurred in Sierra Leone is only a glimpse of the death and destruction that has ravaged West Africa since the 1990’s. Over 3.7 million people have died in diamond-related conflicts. And the number is climbing.

In 2003, the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) came into force to control and monitor the diamond trade. Under the KPCS, participating governments certify diamonds as originating from a conflict-free source. Parallel to the KPCS, the diamond industry polices itself using a warranty system tracking diamonds from mines all the way to retail stores. Though the KPCS and warranty systems are a step forward, flaws in the system and its implementation allow blood diamonds to continue to enter the legitimate trade. In 2005, the UN discovered diamonds are still funding conflict in Ivory Coast. Research by Global Witness and Amnesty International in 2004 revealed that conflict-free warranties are rarely available with diamond purchases, and in 2006 that some conflict diamonds are certified as conflict-free. Human rights advocates are pressing the diamond industry and KPCS to strengthen controls and develop a comprehensive tracking system to ensure that diamonds are not fueling conflict.

You can send a letter to the World Diamond Council expressing your concerns by going here.

For more information about conflict diamonds go to GlobalExchange.org

They supported apartheid, and then later, when the government changed, they withdrew their money. Then they took it to monopolize other sources of diamonds.

That's not to say conflict diamonds aren't a bad thing. They're bad. It's just to point out that non-conflict diamonds aren't exactly conflict-free as well.

I think highly of Blood Diamond, but the maker of a recent documentary on the same subject refuted aspects of the Warner Bros movie on KPFK's Uprising.

From UprisingRadio.org:]

The Empire in Africa

Published on 1 Dec 2006 at 9:15 am.

GUEST: Philippe Diaz, director of “The Empire in Africa”

With all the hype over the new Hollywood film, Blood Diamond, much attention is being paid to the war-torn African nation of Sierra Leone and the corporate ravaging of its diamond mines. But a new documentary, being released simultaneously, gives a different picture.

The Empire in Africa, from Cinema Libre studios, is Philippe Diaz’ latest documentary focusing on the political history and current events in Sierra Leone through the voices of ordinary people, government officials and members of the rebel army. What most news media has focused on are the stories of amputee victims of the RUF, the Revolutionary United Front, a rebel group that has agitated for the end of foreign domination. In fact, Blood Diamond, according to Diaz, falls into the trap of demonizing the rebel groups. According to Diaz, the amputation stories have been greatly exaggerated, while the role of former colonial governments has been ignored. I spoke yesterday with Philippe Diaz about his documentary, The Empire in Africa, as well as his thoughts on the film Blood Diamond. During this interview we’ll hear a few excerpts from the documentary.

You can listen to the program at this site: http://uprisingradio.org/home/?p=970