As stated last week, conflict diamonds today make up less than 1% of the world’s diamond sales. This is an extreme decrease from 4% in the late 1990’s. The Kimberly Process, initiated in 2002, was established “to ensure that conflict diamonds do not become intermixed with the diamonds not controlled by such rebel groups” requires “diamond-producing countries to provide proof that the money they make from selling the diamonds is not used to fund criminal or revolutionary activities” (“Diamond”). Yes, the Kimberly Process has led to a massive decrease in the sales of conflict diamonds however, 130 million carats are mined annually, averaging 9 billion total value in sales. Of these 130 million, nearly “49% of diamonds originate from central and southern Africa,” a notorious area for trafficking conflict diamonds (“Diamond”). And if 9 billion dollars worth of diamonds are sold annually, then at least 90,000,000 dollars worth of conflict diamonds are purchased. The government has done what they can to establish trade laws and combat terrorist groups that inflict conflict diamond enslavement, but now it is up to us, as consumers, to put an end to the selling of conflict diamonds. There are three questions we can ask to ensure that the diamond we purchase is not conflict. "How can I know for sure that these are non conflict diamonds?" If the diamond is from a non-conflicted environment, the salesperson should have records on file proving the diamond has passed the Kimberly Process. These papers will also have “embellishments and specials textures to prevent forgery.” Second, ask, "Do you know where the diamonds you sell come from?" If the diamonds originated from areas like “Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Democratic Republic of the Congo,” you might want to reconsider your purchase or look elsewhere as these countries are hotspots for conflict diamond trade. Third, ask the “retailer’s policy in buying and selling” conflict diamonds. They should be more than willing to assure you and provide you with a guarantee that their store or company does not have any association with the trade and sale of conflict diamonds (Ryan). Taking simple steps such as just asking questions and raising awareness among consumers can help lead to the annihilation of conflict diamonds and slavery.
The issue of slavery through sweatshops was also discussed last week. While raising awareness about this issue among consumers will help to abolish it, I personally believe our government should take more steps to terminate the practice of sweatshops. These terroristic institutions are established on American soil, allowing our government to have a hand in taking action in the situation. Because the issue is so rampant among illegal immigrants who are forced to take a job at an institution that does not document its’ workers, our government first and foremost needs to tighten its borders against illegal immigration. Secondly, a specific sector should be comprised to investigate companies under suspicion of enforcing slavery tactics on its workers. If a company is found guilty of such acts, the company should be immediately destroyed, all licenses removed, and the people responsible for committing such crimes should be put in jail. I am well aware that our government has already developed a group such as this that has uncovered companies and brought those responsible to justice, however, “budget cuts enacted during the Reagan and Bush administrations put severe limits on the Department of Labor’s ability to police garment factories, and now there are only 800 DOL inspectors available to police more than 6 million factories of all kinds” (Buzzle Staff & Agencies). The government needs to be reminded that sweatshops still do exist, and it is up to the workers to raise this awareness. For this issue, I readily “condone physical, coercive means of persuasion” to stir recognition through protests and rallies to gain public attention. Through protests, consumers become consciences of what companies are associated with sweatshops, and we can stop supporting these companies with our purchases.
Sources:
Buzzle Staff & Agencies, "Sweatshops: No Longer a Thing of the Past". Buzzle.com. October 28, 2009
"Diamond". Wikipedia. November 1, 2009
Ryan, Allison. "How to Recognize a Non Conflict Diamond". Articlesbase. November 1, 2009
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