That definition allows blood diamonds that fund HR violations by rogue regimes to evade regulation completely.

There is no legal definition of a blood diamond. However, most people agree that diamonds, cut and polished as well as rough diamonds, associated with gross human rights violations are blood diamonds.

Diamonds that generate revenue used by government forces to commit breaches of international human rights law or international humanitarian law cannot be classified as “conflict diamonds” as the definition only applies to violence perpetrated by rebels. Once a diamond is cut and polished it is no longer subject to any HR regulations. Most blood diamonds enter the supply pipe after the mining stage.

Rough diamonds represent approximately 20% of the diamond value pipeline. The far more lucrative sector of the supply pipe evaded regulation completely. Despite the spin from vested interests, diamonds sold by jewellers are not regulated by the Kimberley Process or any other HR regulations.

Israel is one of the world’s leading exporters of cut and polished diamonds. In 2013 diamond exports worth over $19 billion accounted for 29% of Israel’s manufacturing exports. Evidence presented to the Russell Tribunal on Palestine by Israeli political economist, Shir Hever, indicated that the diamond industry in Israel generates about $1 billion annually in funding for the Israel military. The Israeli military killed over 2100 people in Gaza last summer. The vast majority were civilians including over 500 children. A recent UN Human Rights Council report concluded that Israeli forces committed war crimes in Gaza in 2014. Previous reports from the UNHRC, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch also concluded that Israeli forces committed war crimes in Gaza in 2008/9. Despite the fact that diamonds from Israel are a major source of funding for a regime guilty of gross human rights violations these blood diamonds are sold by the world’s leading jewellers labelled conflict-free in accordance with the bogus System of Warranties introduced by the World Diamond Council.

Keeping the focus on rough blood diamonds from Africa allows the trade in cut and polished blood diamond to continue unchecked below hte radar of public scrutiny. Consumers are being conned. Blood diamonds from Israel account for 50% of all diamond sales in the US in value terms.

As long the trade in diamonds that fund human rights violations by government forces are given a free pass consumers cannot have confidence in the ethical provenance of any diamonds.

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