Jewelry without cruelty

In a world where romance & materialism are as closely intertwined as a bejeweled ring wrapped around a woman's finger, diamonds have become an almost universal symbol of love & the traditional engagement present a prospective bridegroom gives his wife-to-be. Yet, while it's an American truism that "diamonds are a girl's best friend," these precious gems have also become one of humanity's deadliest enemies, fueling bloody civil wars & slavery in Africa as well as the most extreme forms of terrorism ever unleashed against the United States.

For example, while Sierra Leone was mired in chaos, al Qaeda took advantage of the situation by using about $20 million worth of illicit diamonds mined there to pay for the September 11, 2001 attacks. Only after tragedy hit home did the West seem to take notice of the devastating impact that "conflict diamonds" were wreaking upon the world. Compelled to prevent future catastrophes, the international community implemented a new set of trade regulations in 2003 known as the Kimberly Process (see link under Lucid Links), which was intended to stop terrorists & anti-government rebels from using diamonds to finance violence, while allowing legitimate diamond dealers to continue their lucrative trade.

Through validating "birth certificates" for diamonds & packing the raw stones in tamper-proof containers upon export, the Kimberly Process has stemmed the sale of conflict diamonds & helped end hostilities in some countries. However, the system is far from perfect, & "dirty" diamonds continue to reach the market with astonishing frequency...Another major shortcoming of the Kimberly Process is that diamonds produced in dictatorships guilty of human rights violations are still defined as "clean" under the current protocols...

Fortunately, conscientious consumers do have alternative choices when purchasing diamond jewelry for their sweethearts...ethically motivated companies use advanced technologies, as well as recycled gold and other materials, to offer options that allow people to remain true to their hearts & their compassionate values (see links under Lucid Links).

Mat Thomas - VegNews: Vegetarian News Politics Food Travel issue April 2006