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The Facts:
- Conflict diamonds are diamonds that are mined in areas that
are controlled by armed rebel groups or by governments, which
use the revenue to fund their military activities.
- Conflict diamonds are currently fuelling wars in Sierra Leone,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Angola.
- It is estimated that 10% of diamonds originate from conflict
zones.
- Conflict diamonds are sometimes referred to as blood diamonds.
- The working conditions for miners of conflict diamonds are
very poor and the miners are extremely underpaid.
- In Angola, the sale of conflict diamonds has raised enough
money for the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola
(UNITA) to finance a second civil war. Those sales have allowed
UNITA to plant landmines throughout the country. Landmines in
Angola now outnumber people.
- Without the sales of diamonds the ability of many rebel groups
and governments to fund their wars would be substantially decreased.
This would shorten and prevent the recurrence of the brutal wars
in some parts of Africa.
- Peace in African diamond-producing states will help the economic
growth of these countries; peace will reduce poverty significantly
in such countries as Sierra Leone and Angola.
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What Can You Do?
- When you buy a diamond make sure you know where
it has come from. Make sure that you see the diamond’s
Certificate of Origin, and that it guarantees the
diamond did not come from an area in which there is
armed conflict. Do not help fund these conflicts by
buying conflict diamonds.
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