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What are conflict diamonds?
Conflict diamonds are also known as blood diamonds, are those illegally traded to fund conflict in war-torn areas, particularly Central and Western Africa. These countries include Angola, Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Ivory Coast.
The term conflict diamonds was coined during the conflict in Sierra Leone in the late 1990's. During this time, it was estimated that conflict diamonds represented 4% of the worlds diamond production. Today the flow of conflict diamonds have been reduced to less than 1%.
The topic of conflict diamonds has remained in the public arena thanks to global publicity and the Hollywood blockbuster Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio
The Kimberly Process
The Kimberly Process was set up in 2000 by the diamond industry and aims to track every diamond from the place from where it was mined to where it was sold. However human rights groups say that it is not fully enforced meaning that conflict diamonds may be for sale in our local shops.
Conflict chocolate and cocaine
The term conflict was also been adopted to other products including chocolate and cocaine.
Conflict chocolate refers to child exploitation in the production of chocolate in the Ivory Coast where profits have been used to fund conflicts. The Ivory Coast accounts for 40% of the worlds chocolate production with about a quarter of that heading to the United States.
Conflict cocaine is where cocaine is smuggled into Africa which is en route to Europe. Again this is used to fund conflicts mostly in Western Africa.
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