Blood diamonds

Speaking of the movie "Blood Diamond" two posts earlier, it might be useful to know the show isn't all mindless blood and guns wrapped into a presentable package. "Conflict diamonds" do exist, and they come mainly from Africa. Warlords get people they captured to work in diamond mines, and sell the bloodshed-stained rough diamonds in exchange for supplies and weapons. The governments are no innocent parties; they too sell diamonds to foreign countries to support their war effort.

As you can see, the rebel warlords and governments suffer the people to get diamonds which are exchanged for arms. This continues the fighting and bloodshed, and the local populace suffers even more. Diamonds will always be in demand by the starry-eyed ladies, so the fighting will always continue. They are taking advantage of the world's lust for diamonds to fund their petty and bloody conflicts.

(Men working in a diamond mine in Africa)

In 2003, the Kimberley Process was established by the UN to ensure that diamonds in circulation are free of conflict. While conflict diamond trade has reduced by up to 75%, up to 1% of all diamonds found can still have their roots linked back to conflict diamond mines in Africa.

For all you guys out there wanting to blow your cash on diamonds for your one and only, there is something you can do to insure against buying blood diamonds.

As a consumer, you have a right to know more about what you are buying. Ask for a certificate which comes with a diamond to certify its origin. If the jeweler cannot provide proof to show that a diamond is conflict-free, do not buy it.

Remember, diamonds may be forever, but lives are not. The five hundred dollars you just spent on a diamond ring might be linked to a innocent victim shot to death a few weeks later.

You can't live with that, can you?