International Court Looks at 'Blood Diamonds' Cases
By Rob Bates, Senior Editor -- JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone, 12/1/2003
The International Criminal Court will investigate and prosecute companies that bought conflict diamonds in the Democratic Republic of Congo, its chief prosecutor said recently.
Luis Moreno Ocampo told Reuters that companies that bought these stones from Congolese rebels were as complicit in the war's atrocities as those who committed them. He hinted that American and Canadian companies were among those being scrutinized. The Congolese civil war has left approximately 3 million people dead.
"Follow the money and you find the criminals," Ocampo said. "If you stop the money, then you stop the crime."
The global court took effect this summer and has no cases on its books yet.
