Raw Rough Diamonds
Buy Conflict Free Diamonds
It is so important for consumers to be socially conscience when buying anything now-a-days. Watch dog groups are monitoring business practices of retailers, and consumers are aware of where their food and clothes come from, so why should jewelry be any different? How can a customer be assured they are getting conflict free diamonds?
These are very serious questions that any socially conscience consumer should keep in mind before shopping. I strongly recommend that you ask the retailer if they can be assured they are selling conflict free diamonds. As a diamond wholesaler myself, I know, we buy our diamonds from well-known sources and reputable entities, who are all committed to strictly adhere to the Kimberly Process and stop illegal harvest and trafficking of conflict diamonds. I have worked with these suppliers for years and we all share the same values, but can all wholesalers/retailers say that? I recommend you ask.
For those that are unfamiliar with “conflict diamonds” or “blood diamonds,” for decades there has been illegal diamond mining in Africa done with forced, slave labor and child labor. Some of the proceeds from these diamonds sales have supported rogue governments, separatist movements and terrorism. In order to stop this immoral and illegal behavior, measures are now in place to prevent these diamonds from making it onto the market, while governments protect the rights of the miners and their families. The Kimberly Process Certification was established in 2002 to help make sure these illegal, conflict diamonds do not make it to the market, and makes it illegal for the harvest, sale and re-sale of these diamonds.
Here is an example of the illegal diamond trade is using the diamond mining and the workers that are used to work in the fields. Human Rights Watch released a report on 26 June 2009, entitled Diamonds in the Rough about the smuggling, corruption, and forced labor that has been going on in the Marange diamond fields of Zimbabwe. The report alleges many of the same problems that were seen in the movie Blood Diamonds. On 28 October, the group called for an immediate halt of the importing of Zimbabwean diamonds and reported a litany of workers’ rights atrocities against their government. Some of the accusations include the Zimbabwean Army forcing men, women, and children to work to harvest these diamonds against their will, and a soldier shooting and killing a 19-year old worker accusing him of trying to steal a raw diamond. There has also been increased smuggling of the diamonds out of the Marange mines to Mozambique, where they are openly traded and purchased. The government owned company Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) has not complied with court orders to allow the mine fields to be released to a private firm and previous owner African Consolidated Resources (ACR) (Gagnon, 2009).
Diamonds are resources, like oil, that can produce a lot of wealth for a company and their workers if the basic guidelines are followed. The Kimberly Process is basically a pact among nations that does just that. It is an international arrangement of countries that agree to only sell conflict free diamonds, and uphold other various standards to ensure workers are treated fairly. Aside from the government of Zimbabwe returning the land properly to its owner, they are missing an opportunity to build a legitimate economy in which workers can be paid a fair wage, businesses can be fairly taxed, schools and limited health care can be provided from tax revenue and joint business/government partnerships can be set up to help the community. All of these happen in developed nations to a lesser extent; however greed, corruption and the lack of respect for human beings are all blinding this economic opportunity.
This is a very serious problem that as a diamond wholesaler, I do not take lightly and encourage you do the same. Ask to make sure you are buying conflict free diamonds.
About the Author
Wady is the owner of Northwest Diamonds, in Portland, OR.He’s a certified gemologist and has over 30 years of experience as a jewelry wholesaler.
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