By the time this summer's World Diamond Congress began in Antwerp, the conflict diamond issue had grown into an out-of-control, Hydra-headed monster. The normally low-key event became a magnet for politicians, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and members of the media, all demanding to know what was being done about the problem. "The industry has a type of cancer," one participant noted. Yet, the three-day meeting and shmooze-fest ended on a buoyant note, with most participants hopeful that the industry had made genuine progress in putting this damaging and morally troubling issue behind it. Not wanting the issue to dominate coverage of the event, the International Diamond Manufacturers Association-one of two groups meeting at the congress-announced an ambitious package of proposals on the first day. The proposals would establish a system to certify a diamond's origin and keep "con