Leonardo DiCaprio’s upcoming film, “The Blood Diamond,” is ruffling the feathers of a group of international gem dealers.

The movie takes on the issue of so-called “conflict diamonds,” the sale of which fueled bloody African civil wars that resulted in thousands of deaths. The violence was particularly prominent in Sierra Leone, where the film is set.

The World Diamond Council, a loose collective of diamond organizations, is urging the film’s producer, co-writer and director, Edward Zwick, to add a scene to the end of the film depciting improvements in the African diamond trade.

“The WDC and its coalition are urging the studio and the filmmakers to present this story in the proper historical context so they can relate how conflict diamonds have improved since then,” said WDC spokesman Carson Glover.

In 2000, a voluntary certification program (called the Kimberly Process) was started to end the trade of conflict diamonds by ensuring the proper sale of rough stones across international borders.

“We’re all aware of the Kimberly Process,” Zwick told E! Online in response to the WDC’s appeal. “The movie details the events of 1999 and are facts are in order. And we’re not negotiating with anyone as to the content of our movie and we’ll make the movie as we see fit.”

The film is set to hit theatres in December.






Related Stories: