Leo's new film publicizes conflict diamonds

Diamond retailers are worried that Leonardo Dicaprio's new movie about conflict diamonds in South Africa might hurt jewelry sales this Christmas. Blood Diamond is the story of two South Africans who find a rare pink diamond after Sierra Leone's diamond mines were seized by rebels who sold the gems to buy weapons - weapons which were used to slaughter and harm thousands of people. De Beers, one of the world's largest diamond sellers, has launched a massive media campaign in an attempt to distance themselves from "conflict diamonds." The company even asked the film's producers to add a disclaimer to the film claiming the story to be fictional and that "blood diamonds rarely end up on the market," but they refused. "If the film can continue to increase awareness, it will have surpassed my expectations," a rep for the film told the LA Times.

source