Holiday Shoppers Urged to be Cautious of 'Blood Diamonds' This Christmas Season

Your gift of a diamond could be supporting Terrorism, Civil War, and Environmental Destruction; Unless it’s 'conflict-free', you can’t be sure.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) September 17, 2006 -– People buying diamond rings and jewelry this holiday season may want to ask about the diamond’s origin and whether the diamond is ‘conflict-free’, say human rights advocates working to improve conditions in African communities harmed by the diamond trade.

Conflict diamonds—also referred to as blood diamonds—have come from mines in Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Angola, and other countries. Profits have been linked to financing terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and Hezbollah, and have funded civil wars in Africa for years. The mining process has done irreparable harm to the environment and created harsh, slave-like conditions for women and children. Even after the war in Sierra Leone, diamond diggers continue to make less than $1 per day working in unsafe conditions.

"Diamonds have always represented a gift of pure love,” said Beth Gerstein, co-president of BrilliantEarth.com, an online retailer offering socially responsible diamonds exclusively. “This holiday season, people should know that they have a choice between conflict-free diamonds which reflect their values, and diamonds tainted by war and suffering.”

When Gerstein got engaged to her husband, the couple wanted a ring which represented their values as well as their love. They looked hard for a socially responsible ring but had a hard time finding one. They were further surprised that most retailers were unaware of the issue of conflict diamonds. Beth partnered with long time friend and issue expert Eric Grossberg to open BrilliantEarth.com and create an ethical alternative. Gerstein also co-founded Diamond for Africa Fund (DFA), a non-profit organization working to improve living conditions in the villages most harmed by the blood diamond trade. See www.brilliantearth.com and www.diamondsforafricafund.org.

Brilliant Earth buys all of their diamonds from mines in Canada, which unlike many other countries has stringent standards for diamond mining, including measures to protect the environment and workers rights. 5% of Brilliant Earth’s profits go to support Diamonds for Africa.

Early next year, Warner Bros. is due to release "The Blood Diamond," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly. Set in Sierra Leone in1999, the film will profile the dark side of the blood diamond trade. The film is expected to stir up controversy and increase public demand for conflict-free diamonds. The World Diamond Council has already launched a $15 million PR campaign in advance of the film’s release in an attempt to downplay the problem of conflict diamonds to consumers. More than 25% percent of diamond sales occur between Thanksgiving and New Years.

Diamonds for Africa Fund is launching a “Call for Diamonds” to coincide with the release of “The Blood Diamond”. This nationwide fundraising drive will invite people to donate their previously worn diamond jewelry or make cash donations to directly benefit the San Bushmen in Botswana, improve health and education in villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and help children in Sierra Leone.

“What better way to help those harmed by the blood diamond trade than to build schools and health centers in their communities funded by diamonds people no longer wear?” said Gerstein. Concerned consumers are encouraged to look for the “Call for Diamonds” campaign in December 2006, or contact DFA at (800) 691-0952 for how to participate now.

The Kimberley Process
In 2002 the United Nations approved the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, a program designed to decrease the number of conflict diamonds entering the world market. Participating countries claim that rough diamonds originating within their borders are not directly used to finance rebel militias.

Human rights advocates say that the Kimberley Process is flawed. "The Kimberley Process is not solving the problem,” said Gerstein. "It only deals with the UN's definition of a conflict diamond; it does nothing to address state sanctioned violence and local brutality in diamond mining. Some estimates say that up to 30% of the rough output of some diamond mines is smuggled out illegally. The only way to ensure that a diamond is conflict-free is to purchase from Canadian mines because they track and monitor above and beyond current controls.”

About Diamonds for Africa
When Corey Frayer bought a diamond engagement ring for his fiancé, he was appalled to discover a shadowy legacy of poverty and suffering in the conflict diamond trade. He decided to donate his diamond. Corey partnered with Brilliant Earth, a socially conscious jeweler specializing in conflict-free diamonds and environmentally responsible gold, and the Indigenous Land Rights Fund, a non-profit which helps displaced or threatened indigenous communities to create Diamonds for Africa.

Beth Gerstein is an expert source on the issue of conflict diamonds. She is available to comment on the issue of conflict diamonds. For additional information and to schedule interviews please call 510-336-9566. Please also visit www.brilliantearth.com and www.diamondsforafricafund.org.

Please call Severn Williams 510-336-9566 for more information.

###