Paul Ndiho takes a closer look at blood diamonds in Africa

Diamonds symbolize so much. As the stone most commonly used for wedding rings, the diamond is a powerful token of love, purity, and prosperity. And its value relies heavily on its image of being clean, the most perfect thing that nature provides us. So the current controversy over conflict diamonds (also called blood diamonds) puts a lot at stake.
For many African nations, diamonds are not a luxury item but a harbinger of violence and death.

For years rebel groups have maintained a harsh grip over many of Africa's diamond deposits, forcing local residents to toil all day in the mines. Proceeds from these "blood diamonds" or "conflict diamonds" are used to buy weapons and fund deadly insurgencies and campaigns of terror. To help us understand the controversy over conflict diamonds and pure diamonds. I talked Tom Zoellner, Author The Heartless Stone A Journey Through the World of Diamonds, Deceit, and Desire.