17 January 2007

Blood diamonds - Who died for your diamond?

Amnesty International is cautioning consumers to check the origins of their diamond purchases. The warning comes along with the New Zealand release of Blood Diamond - a major Hollywood blockbuster that portrays the affect of the illegal diamond trade – on 18 January 2007.

Blood Diamond, set against the chaotic backdrop of early 1990's Sierra Leone and the illegal diamond trade, is a piece of cinematic fiction, but one that conveys a disturbing reality.

Profits from the trade in conflict diamonds, worth billions of dollars, were used by warlords and rebels to buy arms during the devastating wars in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone. These wars cost an estimated 3.7 million lives.

Amnesty International New Zealand Campaigns Manager Gary Reese says that consumers can play a vital role in curbing the trade in conflict diamonds: "Today, diamonds with origins in the Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia, two countries beset by serious human rights calamities, are finding their way from the black market to the legitimate diamond trade."

"New Zealand consumers should demand to see certification of a diamond's origins – and refuse to purchase any diamond product if the demand is not satisfactorily met."

Amnesty International is encouraging New Zealanders to ask jewellers four questions before purchasing a diamond product in the lead up to St Valentine's Day on 14 February 2007. The questions are:

1. Can I be sure that none of your jewellery contains conflict diamonds?

2. Do you know where the diamonds you sell come from?

3. Can I see a copy of your company's policy on conflict diamonds?

4. Can you show me a written guarantee from your diamond supplier stating that your diamonds are conflict free?

By asking these four simple questions, NZers are invoking the Kimberley Process Certificate Scheme (KPCS) and the diamond industry's own system of warranties. Together, these two systems monitor the life of a diamond from when it was mined to the point of sale, ensuring that any profit made on the stone is not used to fund war or human rights abuses.

More information on conflict diamonds can be found at www.amnesty.org.nz

ENDS

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