What is a conflict diamond? Where do they come from? Public Awareness Diamond Heaven and Conflict free Diamonds What is a conflict diamond? Conflict diamonds are diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments. These diamonds are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments. The diamonds are sold on the black market and are used to propagate a bloody war which victimizes many children. The last thing anyone wants on their mind when making a diamond purchase is to know that their diamond possibly helped aid such a violent and brutal act of aggression. "Conflict diamonds" - sometimes referred to as "blood diamonds" - have received a great deal of publicity recently. The spotlight will fall even more greatly on this issue when Warner Bros release their Hollywood blockbuster "The Blood Diamond" in December 2006, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The lure of diamonds as an ideal repository of illicit wealth for the unscrupulous has lead to wars that have raged in many diamond-producing countries of the world, resulting in massive levels of human suffering.

While diamond mines themselves are fought over, it is the gems which often become the cause of - and the fuel for - wars because they are such high-value commodities which were, until now, easily smuggled and traded into the legitimate diamond market.

Where do they come from?
Whilst a country such as Botswana is blessed with kimberlite pipes that enable an efficient, well-organised diamond mining industry and the benefication of diamond revenue, Sierra Leone, Angola, the Congo and other countries have alluvial diamonds that are scattered throughout their region in ancient riverbeds. The random distribution of diamond wealth in an impoverished society creates incredible problems and, in the case of Sierra Leone, enabled a horrible war. The problem is that unprotected wealth is a curse. Imagine if you gave your wife a £1 million diamond necklace and you do not provide her with any security.

The inevitable will happen - she will be robbed, possibly mugged and the necklace will be stolen. Was that gift to your wife a blessing or a curse? Imagine a world where Sierra Leone's government is corrupted by diamond dealers. Liberia attacks the diamond areas that cannot be well protected because the diamonds are scattered all over the border region. Liberian soldiers and local rebel teenagers, powered by drugs and armed with AK-47s, turn the local population into slaves who dig for diamonds. The diamonds are then sold to raise money for more guns to enslave more people to dig for more diamonds. Welcome to Sierra Leone 1998 to 1999.

Public Awareness
In 1998, Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Global Witness brought to the world's attention that UNITA, a rebel group in Angola, was funding its war against the legitimate government by the control and sale of rough diamonds. We also know that rebel groups in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo were also funding conflicts in this way. Although peace has since been restored in Angola and Sierra Leone, and a cease-fire in the DRC, the diamond industry is determined to work with governments through the United Nations to ensure that future conflicts cannot be funded in this way.

The Kimberley Process The Kimberley Process, created in 2000, is recognised as the spearhead effort by the diamond industry and the diamond-producing countries to crack down on the multi-billion dollar trade in gems which have been, and are being, mined in war zones. The ultimate aim of The Kimberley Process is to ensure that every rough diamond sold under the certification requirements imposed upon the Member States by The Kimberley Process, is guaranteed to be conflict-free. Currently, more than 60 diamond-producing countries and several high-profile independent charities concerned with human rights and welfare are party to the agreement. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme demands that each shipment of rough diamonds being exported and crossing an international border must be sealed in a tamper proof container accompanied by a government validated Kimberly Process certificate. This certificate is resistant to forgery, uniquely numbered and includes a description of the contents of the container. This shipment can be sent only to a country who is a Kimberly Process participant and rough diamonds which are re-exported must also have a Kimberly Process certificate and can only be sent to a participating country.

Approx 10 years, conflict diamonds accounted for around 4% of the world diamond supply. Today, due to the success to date of the Kimberley Process, this is more like 0.2%. However, we feel this is still 0.2% too much.

Diamond Heaven and Conflict free Diamonds
Diamond Heaven  wholeheartedly endorses every legitimate initiative to eradicate the disgraceful trade in conflict diamonds. Being a member of British Jewellers Association, we have to follow their code of ethics and hence committed to use conflict free diamonds for our jewellery. We guarantee that our diamonds are "conflict-free" by purchasing our diamonds from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations resolution, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by our diamond suppliers.

After all, not only do conflict diamonds wreak untold misery upon innocent and defenceless people (and all ethical diamond jewellers need to make a stand against this) but we recognise that our customers need the assurance that the diamond they are buying - a symbol of their love for another person - is a legitimate, genuine, conflict-free gem.