Date: Feature Week of July 13, 2003
Topic: Black Press Business/Economic
Author: William Reed
Article ID: article_ema071303a

HATE THE PLAYAS AND THE GAME

Diamonds Are Forever, So Is Death And Amputations

To Hip Hoppers and Old Schoolers alike, diamonds symbolize love, happiness or wealth.  But for too many of the world�s Black population, they mean conflict, misery and poverty.  In African countries such as Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sierra Leone and Liberia, the profits from unregulated diamond trade are used to obtain weapons and fund armed conflicts. As a result, millions of African civilians have been killed, raped, mutilated or abducted.

If gangstas over here stopped �icing up,� then gangstas over there would cease the savage atrocities they create in Africa due to a lack of funds.  Our actions here in this country can have a positive, or negative, affect regarding Black people thousands of miles away.

Lil� Kim is a walking advertisement; 50 Cents and P. Diddy are real-life poster boyz for the Ice of Bling Bling.  And when they buy the �ice� that is at the core of Bling Bling, there is little evidence that Hip Hoppers check for a certificate.  Illicit diamonds make fabulous profits for terrorists and corporations alike.  The trade illustrates with the hard clarity of the gem itself that no matter where human rights violations occur; the world ignores them at its peril.

Coined in 1999 in a same-named song by a New Orleans rapper named B.G., bling-bling applies to big showy jewelry - the kind typified that sets off alarms at airports, and goes bling when it collides with other bling (hence the name).  The term is used as a lifestyle that centers around things that are "sparkly, sequined, and refract light."

Conflict, or illicit, diamonds are diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to recognized governments, and are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments.  The reality of the conflict diamond trade is illustrated by the rebel forces that are at the gates of Liberia's capital, Monrovia, and parts of the DRC beset by the numerous feuding militias.  The flow of diamonds - a small but high-value commodity that is easily hidden, transported and smuggled - is almost impossible to control.

Hip Hoppers might say they don�t give a damn about what�s going on in Africa.  What�s needed now are specific actions to control the diamond trade and bring back civility in Africa.  As America sends armed forces to curb violence in Liberia, what is really needed are actions regarding diamonds at both the international and national levels.  Proof of the origin of diamonds is essential to reassure consumers that they are not contributing to human rights abuses when buying a diamond. Diamonds must be monitored from the mine to the point of export and throughout the trading and manufacturing processes.

The Kimberley Process, named after the city in South Africa that was the epicenter of the "diamond rush" in the late 19th century and where negotiations on the diamond trade began three years ago, is aimed to stem the flow.  Governments, industry and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have agreed to radical changes and strict rules to regulate the rough diamond trade.  Every diamond must have a government-backed certificate of origin, which guarantees it was not produced in a conflict area.

The industry claims conflict diamonds only account for 4 per cent of the world's total rough diamond production and trade - around $300 million annually.  But, the impact of this 4 per cent is so severe that world diamond trading centers may switch purchasing patterns to exclude Africa in favor of Australia, Canada and Russia.  De Beers, the world's largest producer, is pushing the notoriously secretive diamond industry to support the Kimberley Process.  The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme document was officially adopted by 56 states and launched on January 1 this year.  More than 70 countries have applied for full membership before the July 31^st deadline for participation.

They say: �Tru Thugz Neva Die!� but, if the Big Ballers, working in concert with governmental regulators such as the Kimberly Process, participate in consumer boycotts and development of controls for conflict diamonds funding for rebels will be cut off, helping to shorten wars and prevent their recurrence.

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© 2000-2003 William Reed - www.BlackPressInternational.com