{"article":{"id":191160,"heading":"BLOOD DIAMOND: The Deadly Price of High Fashion","author":"Andrew Smith","created":"2007-01-06 20:22:07","modified":"2013-11-11 00:46:48","last_modified":"Mon, 11 Nov 2013 07:46:48","article":"

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. \r\n

\r\nIn 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.\r\n

\r\nYou can send a letter to the World Diamond Council expressing your concerns by going here. \r\n

\r\nFor more information about conflict diamonds go to GlobalExchange.org\r\n\r\n<\/p>\n","contact":"","link":"","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/html","summary":"On December 8th, 2006, Warner Brothers released the action thriller Blood Diamond, and the world was reminded about the illicit African diamond trade. Set in the West African country of Sierra Leone in the 1990\u2019s, the film unfolds a story of diamond smuggling with a backdrop of child soldiers, brutal amputations, and countless senseless deaths. ","numcomment":2,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2007\/01\/191160.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[{"id":191221,"heading":"What about deBeers?","article":"They supported apartheid, and then later, when the government changed, they withdrew their money. Then they took it to monopolize other sources of diamonds.\r\n\r\nThat'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.","author":"johnk","parent_id":191160,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2007-01-07 20:35:08","modified":"2007-01-07 20:35:08","fileurl":""},{"id":191398,"heading":"Documentary denies some of Blood Diamond's depictions","article":"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.\r\n\r\nFrom UprisingRadio.org:]\r\n\r\nThe Empire in Africa\r\n\r\nPublished on 1 Dec 2006 at 9:15 am. \r\n\r\nGUEST: Philippe Diaz, director of \u201cThe Empire in Africa\u201d\r\n\r\nWith 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. \r\n\r\nThe Empire in Africa, from Cinema Libre studios, is Philippe Diaz\u2019 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\u2019ll hear a few excerpts from the documentary. \r\n\r\nYou can listen to the program at this site: http:\/\/uprisingradio.org\/home\/?p=970\r\n","author":"RP","parent_id":191160,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2007-01-12 08:24:29","modified":"2013-11-11 00:46:50","fileurl":""}]}