What are the conditions that lead to conflict diamonds?

What this definition leaves out is large numbers of diamonds that are tainted by violence, human rights abuses, poverty, environmental degradation, and other issues.

What were the conflict diamonds being used for in Africa?

It is an industry that was supposed to be cleaned up, after the turn-of-the-millennium notoriety surrounding so-called blood or conflict diamonds—precious stones mined in African war zones, often by forced labor, and used to fund armed rebel movements.

What countries in Africa are affected by the conflict diamond trade?

Diamonds have funded brutal wars in countries such as Angola, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, resulting in the death and displacement of millions of people. There is a reason they are dubbed ‘Blood Diamonds’.

Do conflict diamonds still exist?

A lot has been done to address the issue of blood diamonds and conflict diamonds since then, but unfortunately, we still have a ways to go. Historically, the African diamond trade has been riddled with corruption and violence that many people think has subsided following the civil wars of the 1990s and early 2000s.

Are blood diamonds illegal?

Diamonds that are not conflict-free are known as blood diamonds, which means they are illegally sold in order to finance devastating wars and terrorism.

Why are so many diamonds found in Africa?

Diamonds in Africa were formed somewhere between 600 million and 3 billion years ago when titanic-force pressure and heat caused carbon 1,200 miles (1,931 km) below the Earth’s surface to crystallize. As recently as a million years ago, erupting molten rock brought the diamonds closer to the Earth’s surface.

How much are African diamonds worth?

Black Diamonds Prices

	0.50 Carat	3 Carat
	Per Carat	Per Diamond
Treated Black Diamonds	$200	$1,500
Natural Black Diamonds	$2,000	$9,000
Colorless White Diamonds	$2,500	$36,000

Are all diamonds from Africa blood diamonds?

All diamonds are blood diamonds. The brutal Western imperial proxy wars in West Africa over diamond mines have been horrific. These wars, however, are only another chapter in the last hundred years of colonial terror as it has been represented by the diamond trade, controlled by the DeBeers cartel.