What are conflict free diamonds and where are they sourced?

As defined by the United Nations Security Council, “Conflict Diamonds are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments”. Conflict diamonds, also named ‘Blood Diamonds’, have fuelled conflict, civil wars and human rights abuse around the world, ultimately leading to countless innocent lives lost. Hence, conflict free diamonds are diamonds that have been certified to prove that they have no part in this movement, nor do they fund any such activities.

Statistics illustrate the shocking realities of the affects of conflict diamonds globally. Countries including Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Liberia have all been victims of brutal civil war resulting in countless fatalities. The Democratic Republic of Congo was only recently free of the civil war, which lasted between 1998-2003. There is, however, still continued insecurity over the safety and stability of the country. More than 3.3 million people were violently killed as a result of rebel groups, who were supported by neighbouring countries, competing for diamond areas in the northeast.