Article Directory Online: Free Online Article Submission.
Search Articleonlinedirectory.com site
Translate Page To German Tranlate Page To Spanish Translate Page To French Translate Page To Italian Translate Page To Japanese Translate Page To Korean Translate Page To Portuguese Translate Page To Chinese
Number Times Read : 12      Word Count: 558
   

What Are Conflict Diamonds



By : David Cowley         Popularity 9 or more times read
Approved 2008-04-23 17:21:24
Because of the successful advertising campaigns in the United States, diamonds symbolize Eternal Love, A Diamond Is Forever, Continuing Affection, A Successful Relationship, Independence, and Wealth. Diamonds also stand for The Africa's Killing Fields, Bloodshed, Anarchy, and Genocide.

Diamonds known as conflict diamonds originate from the war zones of Africa. On December 1, 2000 the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution defining the role of conflict diamonds with the intent of cutting off the sources of funding for rebel forces and to help shorten the wars and prevent their recurrence.

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.

Among the countries most affected by the terror inflicted by traders in conflict diamonds are Liberia, Sierra Leone and also Angola. Prominent among the military groups involved in such trade are the UNITA in Angola, Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone and even the government of Liberia that funds rebel activities in Sierra Leone without paying any heed to the international condemnation such activities are eliciting.

It has been estimated that in 1990 as much as 15 percent of the total production of diamonds were conflict diamonds. In 2004 it was reported that this percentage had fallen to approximately 1 percent. The first step in stopping the trade in conflict diamonds was to stop purchasing raw diamonds from those countries that are involved in selling such diamonds and thus choking the funding channels for arms and ammunition.

To get around the United Nations General Assembly resolution, these diamonds were sold through contacts in neighboring countries and after the stones are polished, ascertaining their origins becomes next to impossible.

The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).

In May of 2000, the diamond producing countries of South Africa first met in Kimberley to develop a plan that could halt the trade of conflict diamonds by establishing a way that diamond origin could be certified. During the next several years the World Diamond Congress, World Federation of Diamond Bourses, World Diamond Council and other originations became involved with trying to halt the flow of conflict diamonds. After 2 years of negotiation between Governments, Diamond Producers and Non-Government organizations the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was created.

The benefits to countries that put an end to trading in conflict diamonds is immense and it could mean better economic development and prosperity. With the institution of curbs in conflict diamonds such as the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, there has been a dramatic improvement noticeable in its trade.

Resourceful and unscrupulous groups still manage to elude the legal barriers and still find ways of infiltrating the diamond centers of the world. It may not be feasible to stop the trading in conflict diamonds by 100 percent but with marked drop reported in 2004, there is hope for the world that the strife and genocide taking place in Africa will soon come to an end.

Please do not support the war effort. Insist on a certification before purchasing a diamond. It will tell you the stone's carat weight, its color and clarity, flaws, and its origins.
Article Source : Article Directory Online: Free Online Article Submission
Author Resource :
David Cowley has created numerous articles on Diamonds. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to Diamonds. Visit http://www.diamonds-team.com


Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

Article Tags :

diamonds gemstone jewelry rings watches necklaces bracelets loose gems

Rate this article :


[Valid RSS feed]  Category Rss Feed - http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/Rss/216.xml
Print This Article Add To Favorites
 Email a Friend
Social Bookmarking

Recent Articles

Popular Articles

Article By David Cowley

  • Treasure Hunting For Lake Superior Agates
  • Did you know that the official gemstones of the state of Minnesota are called agates? Of all the beautiful rocks and gemstones that could have been considered, these beautiful stones that are readily available along so many beachfronts of that state are so treasured that they now have that official title.
  • Some Natural Treatment Options For A Baby Allergy
  • Dealing with a baby allergy can be difficult for parents; they often work very hard to keep their child from whatever they have an allergy to and then often need to help the child cope with an allergy attack when it does happen.
  • Should You Try Allergy Bedding
  • If you have severe allergies, you may have already tried many different things to help your sensitivities, from installing filters in your furnace and better windows in your home. You may even take medication to control your reactions. Now may be the time add allergy bedding to your arsenal against your allergies.
  • Some Natural Options For A Pollen Allergy
  • If you have hay fever or a allergy to pollens, what can you do about it? First recognize that any allergy is a defect in your body's immune system. The body is reacting to pollen as it would bad germs or other irritants and goes into overdrive trying to fight it off. When you realize that your body is simply overreacting to something that really shouldn't bother it, you can better address the cause and the symptoms.
  • Allergy Medication And Other Treatment Options
  • Remember how allergy medication works when choosing your treatment method. Allergies are a sign that you immune system is not working properly; when you come into contact with something that you're allergic to, your body responds the same way it does when fighting off an illness or germs. The immune system goes into overdrive and sends out what is called histamines, which react to the irritant.

HTML Ready Article. Click on the "Copy" button to copy into your clipboard.




Firefox users please select/copy/paste as usual
Nav Menu
Home
Login
Submit Articles
Submission Guidelines
Top Articles
Link Directory
About Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
RSS Feeds

 
Sponsors

Information Products Directory : Ebooks and Softwares

Users Online

 

© 2008 Articleonlinedirectory.com Article Directory Online : Free Online Article Submission. All Rights Reserved |