In the economically depressed nation of Zimbabwe diamond production and certification is one of the few remaining cash-generating industries.

There are many diamond mines and production facilities throughout Africa adhering to the Kimberley Process and producing conflict free diamonds, yet the fields of Marange in Zimbabwe have come under an international microscope lately over reported forced labor, rape and other crimes related to their mining process and procedures.

The Kimberley Process established in 2003 was designed to ensure that diamond mining does not contribute to oppression, suffering and war. It is an international certification process for diamonds of origin to enter into the global marketplace by certifying the diamonds as “conflict-free”. Yet under current guidelines the Kimberley Process does not incorporate forced labor exploitation, slavery, child labor or violence into its mandate. Furthermore the Kimberley Process has been unwilling to take action against the crimes being committed in the Zimbabwean diamond mines and continues to certify their diamonds as “conflict-free”, even though many of those diamonds have been mined by children or slave labor.

In a recent Human Rights Watch report details were given of the horrific human rights abuses being suffered in Zimbabwe. At the top of the list of offenses is forced labor with reports of workers being forced by gunpoint into the diamond mines by guards and armed soldiers. Additionally to the human rights violations, diamonds are being illegally smuggled out of the country resulting in a loss of revenue thus denying the Zimbabwean people the funds desperately need to rebuild their depressed country.

In the same Human Rights Watch report, there is evidence that President Robert Mugabe has directed the Zimbabwean military to seize control of the country’s diamond mines and use torture, murder and forced labor to keep production of the mines going. And since 2006 there has been a growing influence of illegal traders and panners in the region with increased labor enforcement tactics being used by the military in Zimbabwe. The result is that President Mugabe is directly profiting from these diamonds, exchanging diamonds for arms to supply his military and funding the continuation of his authoritarian regime through theses “conflict diamonds.”

By continuing to turn a blind eye to the human rights abuses conducted by Mugabe’s military the Kimberley Process “has become a process for the systematic legalization and legitimization of blood diamonds” said industry veteran Martin Rapaport.

Now is the time for retailers and consumers to make their voices heard. You have a right to know the origin of every diamond, the conditions under which they have been minded and their global supply chain. One way to ensure your diamonds are “conflict-free” is to shop at Brilliant Earth. Brilliant Earth’s mission is to provide the highest quality jewelry originating from pure sources and harvested using socially responsible practices. Since 2005 Brilliant Earth has been working to build an eco-friendly and people-friendly model for the production of fine jewelry.

I don' know about you, but my definition of “conflict-free” diamonds does not include diamonds mined by child slaves. You can do something and shop responsibly.