Blood diamonds?

Question

im so lost in history. Can you help me?

What exactly are they, and where? Whats the conflict and whats been happening for the last 50 questions.
What is the US and world doing to help?
What can me, a teenager do to help?

Answer 1

Blood diamonds are also know as conflict diamonds. they are illicit diamonds mined in countries where terrorism rules. Terrorists make huge profits and many people die as a result of the demand for these gems. I am including a couple of sites that should help you answer your questions.

One of the things we can do is stop buying diamonds, or make sure that any we buy are not from a country selling blood diamonds. These sites will give you other ideas. Best of luck.

Answer 2

Watch the movie "Blood Diamond" its good!

Answer 3

try going to this site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Diamond_(film)
if it helps can you please give me thumbs up lol

Answer 4

In relation to diamond trading, blood diamond (also called a conflict diamond, dirty diamond or a war diamond) refers to a diamond mined in a war zone and sold, usually clandestinely, in order to finance an insurgency, invading army's war efforts, or supporting a warlord's activity
Angola
In 1998, the United Nations (UN) placed Angola under sanctions forbidding countries from buying diamonds from them.[2] This was the first resolution of the UN which specifically mentioned diamonds in the context of funding war. Reports estimated that as much as 20% of total production in the 1990s were being sold for illicit purposes, and 15% were specifically conflict in nature.[3] By 1999, the illicit diamond trade was estimated by the World Diamond Council to have been reduced to 3.06% of the world's diamond production.[4][5] The World Diamond Council reported that by 2004 this percentage had fallen to approximately 1%.[5][3]
Angola is a former colony of Portugal and gained independence in 1975. Although independent, the country saw civil war between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (PMLA) faction, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) faction. During this war, diamonds were traded by rebel groups to fund their war.[6] The UN recognized the role that diamonds played in funding the UNITA rebels, and in 1998 banned countries from buying diamonds from Angola.[2] Today Angola’s civil war has ended and the country is now a legitimate part of the diamond trade.[6]
[edit]
Sierra Leone
In July 1999, following over eight years of civil conflict, negotiations between the Government of Sierra Leone and the Revolutionary United Front led to the signing of the Lome Peace Agreement under which the parties agreed to the cessation of hostilities, disarmament of all combatants and the formation of a government of national unity. The United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) helped facilitate the negotiations. In resolution 1270 of October 22, 1999, the Security Council established the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to help create the conditions in which the parties could implement the Agreement. Subsequently, the number of personnel were increased and tasks to be carried out by UNAMSIL adjusted by the Council in resolutions 1289 of February 8, 2000 and 1299 of May 19, 2000, making UNAMSIL the second largest peacekeeping force currently deployed by the United Nations (the largest such contingent is in the Congo).
Following international concern at the role played by the illicit diamond trade in fueling conflict in Sierra Leone, the Security Council adopted resolution 1306 on July 5, 2000 imposing a ban on the direct or indirect import of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone not controlled by the Government of Sierra Leone through a Certificate of Origin regime. An arms embargo and selective travel ban on non-governmental forces were already in effect under resolution 1171 of June 5, 1998.
On July 31, 2000 and August 1, 2000, Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1132 (1997) concerning Sierra Leone, presided over the first ever exploratory public hearing by the Security Council in New York. The hearing was attended by representatives of interested Member States, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, the diamond industry and other relevant experts. The hearing exposed the link between the trade in illicit Sierra Leone diamonds and trade in arms and related material. The ways and means for developing a sustainable and well-regulated diamond industry in Sierra Leone were also discussed.
As called for by resolution 1306 of July 5, 2000, the Secretary-General, on August 2, 2000, established a Panel of Experts, to collect information on possible violations of the arms embargo and the link between trade in diamonds and trade in arms and related material, consider the adequacy of air traffic control systems in the West African region for the purpose of detecting flights suspected of contravening the arms embargo, and report to the Council with observations and recommendations on ways of strengthening the arms and diamonds embargoes no later than October 3, 2000. The Chairman of the Panel was Martin Chungong Ayafor (Cameroon). The other members were Atabou Bodian (Senegal), Johan Peleman (Belgium), Harjit Singh Sandhu (India) and Ian Smillie (Canada). The Panel submitted its report to the Security Council on December 19, 2000 (S/2000/1195). On January 25, 2001 the Security Council, at its 4264th meeting, considered the report of the panel of experts.
Diamond revenues in Sierra Leone have increased more than tenfold since the end of the conflict, from $10 million in 2000 to about $130 million in 2004, although according to the UNAMSIL surveys of mining sites, "more than 50 per cent of diamond mining still remains unlicensed and reportedly considerable illegal smuggling of diamonds continues" (Bell 2005).
In the past, al-Qaeda bought gems from Sierra Leone after some of its other financial assets were hit during the war on terrorism.[7]
[edit]
Liberia
From 1989 to 2003 Liberia was engaged in a civil war. In 2000, the UN accused Liberian president Charles G. Taylor of supporting the RUF insurgency in Sierra Leone with weapons and training in exchange for diamonds. 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, now faces trial in the Hague. On July 21, 2006 he pleaded not guilty of crimes against humanity and war crimes.[6]
In the past, al-Qaeda bought gems from Liberia after some of its other financial assets were hit during the war on terrorism.[7]
Liberia today is at peace and is attempting to construct a legitimate diamond mining industry. The UN has lifted sanctions and Liberia is now a member of the Kimberley process.[8]
[edit]
Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire began to develop a fledgling diamond mining industry in the 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.[6][9] Foreign investment began to withdraw from the Ivory Coast. To curtail the illicit trade, the nation stopped all diamond mining, and the UN Security Council banned all exports of diamonds from Côte d'Ivoire in December 2005.[6]
[edit]
The 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.[6] One of De Beers' most celebrated and priceless diamonds, the flawless D-colour 200-carat 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) faced UN sanctions in 2004 because despite having no official diamond mining industry, the country was exporting large quantities of diamonds, the origin of which it could not detail.[6]
[edit]
Kimberley Process Certification Scheme

Main article: Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
Although the United Nations first identified the conflict diamond issue in 1998 as a source of funding for war,[2] it was the diamond industry that took steps to address the conflict diamond issue by convening a meeting to plan a process by which diamond origin could be certified. In May 2000, diamond producing countries of southern Africa met 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.[10][11]
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.[12][13] 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.[13]
On January 17 - 18 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.[14]
The KPCS was given approval by the UN on March 13, 2002,[15] and in November, after two years of negotiation between governments, diamond producers, and Non-Government organizations, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was created.
[edit]
Monitoring the Kimberley Process

The biggest weakness of the Kimberley Process is how it is monitored. Any country can become a member of the Kimberley Process just by sending a letter to the organization's president, currently, the European Commission. Whether or not the country meets the standards of the Kimberley Process, they can still become a member.[16] This means that some conflict diamonds are still getting past the system because some countries don't meet the requirements of the Kimberley Process. However, as of 2007, it is estimated that its share in total trade of rough diamond has come down to only USD 10.2 million
[edit]
Transparency

The Kimberley system increases governments' transparency by forcing them to keep records of the diamonds they are exporting and importing and how much they are worth. This shows the governments their finances so that they can be held accountable for how much they are spending for the benefit of the countries population.[16]
[edit]
U.S. policy

On January 18, 2001, President 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.[17] President Bush on May 22, 2001 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.[18]
United States enacted the Clean Diamond Trade Act (CDTA) on April 25, 2003,[19] and implemented on July 29, 2003 by Executive Order 13312.[20][21] 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 world’s 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.
Canadian Policy

During the 1990's diamond rich areas were discovered in Northern Canada. Canada is one of the key players in the diamond industry. Canada has been involved in many activities that have been helping the poverty and suffering in Africa even before diamonds were discovered in Canada. 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 Initiaive helps improve and regulate the legal diamond industry.
The Kimberley Process was initiated in May of 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 of 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.[22]
[edit]
European Policy

The European Union is the strongest partner of most African countries because they are a major donor or aiding development in third world countries. The European Community in 2001 adopted a strategy that tries to prevent conflicts in third world countries. The strategy has four main objectives to it. 1) Make a more systematic and coordinated use of European Union instruments to get to the root causes of the conflict. 2) Improve the efficiency of actions targeting specific causes of conflicts. For example the illicit trade of diamonds and small arms. 3) Improve the European Union capacity to react quickly to conflicts. 4) To promote international co-operation with all the European Unions partners. In June of 2001 the Gotenburg Program for the Prevention of Violent Conflicts was issued. This states that the prevention of conflicts by peaceful means is a major priority of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the European Union Security and Defence Policy.[22]
[edit]
"Conflict-free" Diamonds

A conflict-free diamond is a diamond whose profits aren't fund to help wars and they are produced and mined under ethical conditions. Only diamonds that are certified and can be traced from the mine to the consumer are conflict-free diamonds. Conflict diamonds are still being sold today into the international diamond market as clean diamonds."

Conflict Neutral Diamonds

As for what you can do, here's a suggestion:

"A recent development in the world of conflict diamonds is the introduction of the conflict neutral concept. This is where a donation by a consumer or retailer is made to a relevant charity upon sale or purchase of a diamond. An organisation named Conflict Neutral has begun registering donations with associated transactions and issuing certifications. Of the donations through this scheme, two thirds are equally divided between Global Witness, Amnesty International, and the Red Cross, and the remainder is divided amongst other charities. The idea is gaining support from the public and diamond industry alike.