Controversial Diamonds
Your purchase of Diamonds On Web diamonds is an ethically sound choice. Diamonds On Web, a member of the Kimberly process, does not sell conflict diamonds.
The controversy surrounding diamonds and their origins is due to the fact that politically tumultuous situations in some African countries have resulted in diamond mines being taken over by revolutionary groups and used to finance their operations. The diamonds traded from these mines have been termed "conflict" or "blood diamonds" because the money used from their sale has gone to finance wars and armed conflict. The issue has returned to the public eye in part due to the 2006 blockbuster Hollywood film "Blood Diamond", which portrayed the atrocities of Sierra Leone's civil war and diamond mines.
The official UN definition of "conflict diamonds" are "diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments, and are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments, or in contravention of the decisions of the Security Council" (http://www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html).
In 2002, responding to concerns by the public that they were purchasing diamonds that contributed to war and human rights violations, the UN, along with along with diamond trading nations and the diamond industry, introduced "The Kimberly Process", a series of documents and certificates of diamond exports from producing countries that guarentees that the proceeds of sale are not being used to fund criminal activities.
When you purchase diamond jewelry from Diamonds On Web and other Kimberly process members, you are contributing to the global effort to stop the trade of conflict diamonds.
The Internet Movie Database - Blood Diamonds
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