THINGS ABOUT DIAMONDS YOU MAY NOT KNOW

IT WAS ENVISIONED BY THE DIAMOND INDUSTRY

AND INSTATED BY THE UNITED NATIONS

DE BEERS AND THE REST OF THE DIAMOND INDUSTRY

NOW CLAIM THAT 99.8% OF DIAMONDS ARE CONFLICT FREE.

IN 2006, HOWEVER, THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE

US GOVERNMENT RELEASED REPORTS SHOWING THAT

NEARLY $23 MILLION OF BLOOD DIAMONDS FROM THE

IVORY COAST WERE SMUGGLED INTO KIMBERLY

PROCESS COUNTRIES

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? THE KIMBERLY PROCESS

RELIES ON THE HOPELESSLY CORRUPT GOVERNMENTS

OF DIAMOND PRODUCING COUNTRIES TO CHECK AND
CERTIFY THEIR DIAMONDS ARE LEGITIMATE.

THESE CERTIFICATIONS ARE THEN ATTACHED AND SEALED

ALONG WITH THE DIAMONDS AS THEY ARE EXPORTED

COUNTRIES LIKE THE UNITED STATES CAN THEN ENSURE

THAT THE DIAMONDS ARE NOT FROM ILLEGITIMATE SOURCES.

MANY TIMES GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS GET PAID OFF

TO LET DIAMONDS THROUGH OR THEY GET SMUGGLED

ACCROSS BORDERS INTO LEGITIMATE TRADING CHANNELS.

ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE KIMBERLY PROCESS,

IAN SMILLIE, EVEN RESIGNED FROM THE GROUP

NOT LONG AGO CITING ITS INEFFECTIVENESS.