De Beers - Diamonds Are Forever

So who is responsible for buying and selling diamonds for large sums of money?



De Beers is a company involved in rough diamond mining and diamond trading. It is responsible for 40% of world diamond production and over the years De Beers has played a huge role in selling conflict diamonds.It was one of the first companies involved in the mining for diamonds in Africa, almost immediately after diamonds were discovered there.


The company , De Beers, has created many successful campaigns, one most effective is that of the engagement/wedding diamond ring. De Beer’s suggests that a diamond is a symbol of love and commitment.













Though De Beers is responsible for bringing happiness to many women and couples across the globe, they are also responsible for the death of 50,000 people, half a million refugees, and a thousand amputees.

In response to such accusations a spokesman for DeBeers, who spoke to CNN, stated, “ Diamonds don’t kill people, people with guns kill, and these guns are supplied from the West.”


In 2003, a scheme was set up, now known as the Kimberley Process Scheme. This was formed in order for the prevention of rebel groups and rivals financing their wars from the sales of diamonds.

Although now it seems as if this scheme was in fact just a PR Stunt.

There have been allegations that $23 million of blood diamonds made the way through the legitimate market from Ivory Coast. However what acts as suspicious is that De Beers doesn’t buy from Ivory Coast.
The Times newspaper featured an article, in 2006 quoting, “Alarm bells have been ringing at De Beers in response to reports of smuggling in conflict diamonds from Ivory Coast, the West African nation in the grip of a civil war.”


This Year, De Beers was accused, (by a charity known as War on Want) of profiting from the abuse of people countries such as Africa.

De Beers is a huge company, with a lot of money behind it. As long as people keep buying diamonds from them, they can carry on killing off millions of people. Though the claim that they dont buy conflict diamonds, there seems to be evidence against this.

And even if what they say is true, they have still killed and tortued far too many people in the past to be a respected company.

There advertising boasts of passion and purity, but what is pure and passionate about buying a
bloodstained diamond for the person you love?