What have bloodthirsty guerrillas got to do with those pretty sparklers in the jeweller's window?
Some African rebel movements, mainly in Angola, Sierra Leone and the Congo, are using diamonds to fund their wars. For them it's easy money: small bags of gemstones can buy large planes full of tanks and machine guns.
Sounds like big business?
It is. There are no concrete figures but best guesses put it at about 8 per cent of the $7 billion trade.
What's it got to do with me?
There's a chance that the beautiful ring you paid thousands for in an Irish jewellers has funded the activities of groups such as the RUF in Sierra Leone. They hack off civilians' limbs to maintain control of their turf.
So I should stop buying diamonds?
No. Other countries - such as Australia, Botswana and Canada - legitimately mine diamonds in good conditions. A global embargo would ruin some of them.
What can I do then?
Some campaigners are trying to capitalise on the "fur factor" without actually calling for a ban. They say consumers should give their retailer a hard time about where the stones come from. That will percolate up to the top levels of the trade, who will stop buying and selling "blood diamonds". Or so the theory goes.