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 the war. Reports estimated that as much as 20% of total production in the 1990s were being sold for illegal purposes, and 15% were specifically conflict in nature.[3] By 1999, the illegal diamond trade was estimated by the World Diamond Council to have been reduced to 3.06% of the world’s diamond production.4 The World Diamond Council reported that by 2004 this percentage had fallen to approximately 1%.5

Angola, formerly a colony of Portugal, gained independence on November 11, 1975. Although independent, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (PMLA), the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (NUTIA), and the National Liberation Front of Angola (NLFA) fought in civil war from 1975 to 2002. NUTIA sold diamonds abroad in violation of the Bicesse Accords of 1994 to finance its war with the government.[6] The UN recognized the role that diamonds played in funding the NUTIA rebels, and in 1998 banned countries from buying diamonds from Angola.2

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]

Around the time of the 1998 United States embassy bombings, al-Qaeda allegedly bought gems from Liberia as some of its other financial assets were frozen.[7]

Liberia today is at peace and is attempting to construct a legitimate diamond mining industry, and the UN has lifted sanctions and Liberia is now a member of the Kimberley process.[8]

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 Foreign investment began to withdraw from the Ivory Coast. To curtail the illegal 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]

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.

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]

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

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 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.

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, it can still become a member.[16] This means that many conflict diamonds are still getting past the Kimberly Certification Scheme 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.

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]

U.S. policy

On January 18, 2001, former president Bill 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 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.[19]

Canadian policy

During the 1990s diamond rich areas were discovered in Northern Canada. Canada is one of the key players of it in the diamond industry. Canada has been involved in many activities that have been helping to mitigate 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 Initiative 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]

One major US Wholesaler and manufacturer who is now engaged in selling Canadian diamonds is Tri-Star Worldwide, LLC. located in New York City. Under the brand name “CANADIA”, Tri-Star offers 100% conflict free diamonds sourced directly from Canadian diamond producers (miners) such as BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. Tri-Star is a member of the Canadian Diamond Code of Conduct and offers only Canadian diamonds to its retail clients.

BHP Billiton, owners of the Ekati diamond mine, (Canada’s first diamond mine) located in the Northwest Territories of Canada, has a unique program called CANADAMARK whereby they take diamonds mined from the Ekati mine in Canada, track them from the moment they leave the earth, through the manufacturing process, to the retailer. The diamonds are laser inscribed and information on each diamond is kept in a database so that every CANADAMARK certified diamond can be tracked back to the mine of origin. CANADAMARK diamonds are purchased by other wholesalers, such as Tri-star and others.

The Government of the Northwest Territories of Canada (GNWT) also has a unique certification program. They offer a Government certificate on all diamonds that are mined, cut, and polished, in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Each diamond is also laser inscribed and recorded in a database. To obtain this certificate one must cut and polish the diamond in the GNWT.

Conflict-free diamonds

A conflict-free diamond is a diamond whose profits aren’t used to fund wars and which is 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.[23]

Conflict-neutral diamonds

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 organization 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.

the rebels are dancing around bonfires and drinking – they have won.

the protagonist and his new african reluctant partner have gotten away and are now at a bridge after daybreak.

“the bridge is the only way across”.

it’s a dilemma. the bridge is GUARDED.

they are going to pretend that the black guy has him as a prisoner.

and the white guy just shot the shit out of the guards.

and the guy down there running away.

apparently the terror is beginning.

for no reaso they are machinegunning EVERYONE.

and now the GOVERNMENT is machinegunning bystanders to get them out of the way.

this is chaos – i have never seen anything like this.

child soldiers running amok. this is absolute insanity.

and now…

rocket launchers.

just apparently not by YOU.

yow.

he’s bargaining for a blood diamond.

“without me you’re just another black man in africa.

and here come the soldiers.

LET’S BE PARTNERS OR ELSE WE WILL DIE>

here come the soldiers machinegunning random people this is insane.

now they have joined a trail of refugees.

this character is necessarily brutal.

they are at a UN refugee camp.

soldiers are distributing rice.

thank god a small relief.

a steady stream of desperate refugees.

“this is what a million ppl looks like”

the second largest refugee camp in africa.

it’s totally insane.

she makes a remark about the media being insipid: you might catch this on cnn in between sports and the weather.

through some soldiers.

he gets a cigarette from another hip white person.

he’s trying to find the totally awesome lady journalist.

the other journalist apparently has succeeded in passing the message on to Maddie because she is now here ready to talk to him.

“i’m on deadline”

“there’s a company called fiero diamonds. they get the stones that are smuggled into Liberia.”

they own this front company that does something awful.

he is going to help Maddie to help his partner person.

this is for the blood diamond.

“you’re using him”.

“and you are using me and this is how it works isn’t it.”

“why should i help just one person”. (pause) _“i can’t believe i just said that.”

now they are on a helicopter going to apparently find this guy’s family.

she can get things done very fast.

she is driven and so very good.

solomon is the name of the black kid.

they have stolen his son.

black and white stills of children.

maddie is amazing, i am totally transfixed.

here they come.

he finds her at the camp.

oh my god it’s a reunion.

they found each other !!!

and there are the babies.

there is a media bus that runs across a massacre.

and then the shooting begins anew.

get the journalists on the bus right away.

no time to take photos !!!!!

get out of there !!!

“it might be enough to make people cry or write a check.”

i am sick of writing about victims.

people might not want a diamond if they know that it cost someone somene’s hand.

he is so intent on getting the diamond that he gives a journalist all the evidence she needs to get the debeers analogue in the movie in trouble in case he doesn’t retrieve the diamond and dies trying.

now that is commitment.

of course the soldiers catch up and they wind up on foot.

there is horror enough in the world without us having tolerance for leaders who create more.

drinking awful wine out of a milk jug.

he’s now going to talk about his experience growing up in rhodesia.

apparently he then joined the south africa army. “there was no apartheid in the foxhole” the colonel always used to tell them that.

then suddenly it’s 1994 and apartheid is over.

ivory. oil. gold. diamonds. who gets what.

“so one day i decided fuck it, i’m gonna get mine.”

“you gonna steal this diamond?”

“that diamond is my ticket out of this godforsaken continent.”

“the answer is yes.

the protagonist is obsessed with a diamond

only that first character knows where it is

and now they are on a seeming suicide mission to retrieve both in territory that is held by crazy rebels and about to be invaded by a serious military unit

from which the protagonist is a rebel

well he’s just a rebel against the bloodthirsty head of the unit, who wants the diamond for his company

i can only do so much

i only am able to create notes on some of this stuff.

if you see this movie add some notes.

many years ago i saw a Guerrilla News Network documentary on the slaughters over diamonds going on in Sierra Leone.

made me sick to my stomach.

something about girls who want a storybook wedding.

“i provide a service. the world wants what we have, and we get it cheap.”

apparently these children are former child soldiers.

they’re finally in a temporary hiatus from the violence, at some kind of place where war orphans are being cared for by a very nice person.

he’s pretending to be a journalist too.

people are just people and it what they do that is good or bad. that is what they agree on.

going to have to think about that.

“how can my own people do this to each other?”

there is something wrong with us.

“some of my friends say we were better off when the white man ruled.”

yiiikes.

apparently the diamond is hidden in the mine somewhere…

but solomon is about to go say hi to his son.

oh shit this is bad because they capture him.

because the son starts screaming.

and now he is a captive.

“why should the diamond go to these foreign devils!”

tell us where it is !!!! ! !!! !! !!! !

but only because i lived in hell.

but that IS his son.

find it or your family will die.

and here comes the helicopter to blow the whole place up.

now somehow solomon has to get his crazy son out ofthere

kill them all

that’s what the crazy commander in the helicopter says.

now the protagonist is trying to find solomon and obviously dia.

meanwhile soloman has killed tha man who has made a child soldier out of his son with a shovel.

he has become a bloodthirsty insane man…. but screw that guy.

so now they are here talking to one another.

now the crazy white colonel is in control.

at least everyone (dia?) is alive.

end of the line, just tell him where it is

he now is putting on a charade that SOLOMON IS RELUCTANT TO TELL HIM WHERE IT IS.

helicopters, explosions…

the protagonist got very, very lucky.

and here are the ground troops to clean up the remains.

he is sobbing and dying but he has the diamond.

now this guy thinks he’s going to die. :(he gives the diamond back).

there is a new trust

but is the protagonist dying ???

“this is maggie’s card – call her when you get out”

but i can carry you

“you take your boy home huh ?”

solomon is dealing with whitey who wants to buy the diamond.

the reporter is taking photos of the entire thing – it’s investiigative reports on the de beers folks.

we didn’t actually see archer die. maybe he lived. who can say. the movie seems to be continuing.

they’re going to go get the diamond and supposedly split it.

some kind of thing happened.

“i’m going to quit smoking anyway”

“it’s gone – someone has taken it”

“it isn’t here”

and then a big ol shoot em up

“this is africa”

colonel is dead

but protagonist is shot a bit

the rescue guy doesn’t want to take thm

it's a plane.

did they not make the rendezvous ?

the plane flies overhead.

they collapse in pain and crying

“christ no more”

his blood is dripping out and he’s lying on the rock face

like a pieta

the plane is headed for the sunset

he has a rifle

solomon and his kid are running.

this guy is on his last legs it would appear.

he reloads ammo

i guess it’s soldiers after him

solomon and his kid and the diamond are running away

the protagonist is just sitting there trying to live.

he has a phone and he calls Maggie.

maggie is in what, london.

“maggie i want you to do me one more favor. i want you to go meet solomon in guinea”

we found his son

he’s going to need some help understand ?

maggie now understands he’s hurt.

he’s being surrounded by government soldiers.

there goes solomon and his son in the airplane.

and now archer (i guess that’s his name) is looking at an incredible view

“i wish you were here maggie”

i don’t think so

maggie you find somewhere safe for the boy and get solomon to london, he’s bringing something with him and he’s going to need your help

why aren’t you bringing it yourself

“it’s a real story now and you can write the hell out of it”

it’s very tragic

“i’m really happy i met you. you know that ?”

“i’m really happy i met you too and i wish i could be there for you”

“that’s all right, i’m exactly where i’m supposed to be”

the van de kamp firm is under a cloud now because of her magazine article

she publishes archer’s pic in the magazine

solomon is now taking the stand to speak against the diamond cartel in court. he receives a standing ovation but he also misses his friend archer.

it’s truly tragic.

no phony deus ex machina – just a reunited family and a guy who died to preserve it for him. so sad.

the kimberley process. an effort to stem the flow of diamonds.

sierra leone is finally at peace but there are still 200,000 child soldiers in africa.

if scenes like the training of child soldiers to murder are beyond you maybe this movie isn’t for you.

Something tells me this page was populated while you were watching it am i right?