| When people talk about diamonds they mention | | | | of South Africa met in a place called |
| the beauty of these stones. What is not | | | | Kimberley which is found in South Africa. A |
| mentioned is that some of these diamonds such | | | | plan was put in place whereby the trade in |
| as conflict diamonds bring about more horrors | | | | blood diamonds could be halted. Buyers of |
| than can be imagined. This is especially true | | | | these types of diamonds would then be assured |
| of conflict diamonds which can rightly be | | | | that their diamond purchases wont have |
| called blood diamonds as they seem to embody | | | | contributed to any violence or war in another |
| the blood that is spilled with the money that | | | | country.On July of 2000 the congress of the |
| comes from these diamonds. | | | | World Diamond manufacturers adopted a |
| There are other names which are used | | | | resolution to strengthen the diamond |
| for blood diamonds. These are seldom heard by | | | | industry's ability to block sales of blood |
| your average purchaser of diamond jewelry. | | | | diamonds. This resolution was done at |
| The other names are ones like war diamond, | | | | Antwerp. The resolution calls for an |
| dirty diamond and of course conflict | | | | international certification system.This |
| diamonds. For a diamond to qualify as being a | | | | certification system is placed on the export |
| blood diamond you should understand that is | | | | and import of all diamonds in the world. By |
| needs to be mined from a country that is at | | | | this system each country can accept |
| war within its own borders.The blood diamonds | | | | legislation from different countries to |
| which are mined from these diamond mines are | | | | accept only diamonds which are in officially |
| sold in clandestine sales. The money which is | | | | sealed packages. These seals should state |
| obtained from these sales provides the | | | | that the diamonds which are enclosed are not |
| various warlords with the funds they need to | | | | being used as proceeds for war.The resolution |
| carry on with their war efforts. This | | | | also allows various countries to impose war |
| includes the buying of more highly | | | | criminal charges on anyone who is found |
| specialized weapons. Now although the | | | | guilty of selling blood diamonds. These |
| United Nations in 1998 has identified blood | | | | countries have also been given the right to |
| diamonds as being a source of funding for | | | | impose a ban on any country or person who |
| war, it has taken the diamond industry some | | | | feels that they can trade in the sale of |
| time to take steps to address this problem.In | | | | blood diamonds. |
| May of 2000 the diamond producing countries | | | | |