Is it true that the bin laden family controls and profits from the tanzanite market??

[BeanoC]

Ok, this veers away from topic a little on these boards, but since many of the ports of call offer good deals on tanzanite, maybe this is the right place to post this...

Disturbing reports suggest that over 90% of the world's tanzanite supply is controlled by the bin laden family, and hence purchasing this jewelry is a direct, if unintentional, support of Al-Queda!

Is there truth to this??

DW loves tanzanite, and we planned to shop for a special ring on this cruise, but God as my witness, if this is true then I'd rather chop off my fingers before I or any of my family would wear the stuff!

Am I overreacting? Who can give some clear-eyed insight on this?


Thanks,


'Beano'

 

[akterrye]

Sometime in the last 6 months, I saw something on either 20/20 or Nightline that implied a relationship between terrorists and tanzanite. Terrorists where holding tanzanite miner's families hostage and making the miners hand over their tanzanite so the terrorists could sell it and keep the profit. I stopped buying tanzanite that day, and cancelled a beautiful 2 karat stone I had ordered...I had been looking forward to that piece for over a year, but knowing that it could possibly come from someone else's suffering just sickened me.

When I was in California last Feb, several jewelry stores I stopped in reported they had sent back all of their tanzanite because of the connection between terrorists and tanzanite.

And, it's not just tanzanite that was affected, but I can't remember the list of gem stones. I have a good relationship with my local jeweler and she assures me that they buy through reputable sources.

I'm not making a political stand, but I think we all need to be more informed before we make a purchase. JMHO...

 

[ducklite]

I also will not buy another diamond. The diamond trade is what is causing the terrible civil unrest in Western Africa, especially in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guineau. CHILDREN are being tortured and are dying because of this.

Anne

 

[Ironmike]

My wife is the jewlery manager for J.C. Penney. She was told that the Bin Laden family has nothing to to do with the stone.

 

[Mermaid02]

There was recently a thread with a link to the 20/20 article here... look around for it. Guess I'll have to buy Maine Tourmaline... I know where that came from!

 

[Wonderwoman1982]

Speaking of diamonds AND tanzanite, I saw the 20/20 or Dateline or what ever show it was.. The REAL story was, Yes SOME of the Diamonds AND tanzanite do come from terrorist organizations whether it be Bin Laden, or terrorists in Africa with the diamonds. BUT there is no way to tell which stones came from that way, and which didn't. Some are legitimate stones from honest means and some aren't. There is no way to know which. So to boycott precious gems is silly, since the stones you buy here or there may come from a honest source. It was a rather small percentage that comes from terrorism.

 

[Señor Ferrari]

I know that once I found out that the Taliban controlled the world's opium market, I stopped buying it.....

 

[Poohbr618]

Senor........thank for the laugh!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

See "Zale Jewelers to Resume Tanzanite Sales," by David Koenig, the Associated Press, May 8, 2002, at http://www.sltrib.com/2002/May/05082002/business/735093.htm

Also, see "Tanzanite Cleared, but Gem Community Warned," February 12, 2002, at http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/news/2002/021202story.html

 

[inkkognito]

Whether it's true or not, I figure that I won't spend any money on jewelry, and that way there's more left to put towards more cruises!
I just have a plain gold wedding band, and hubby always asks if I wouldn't prefer a rock, but I tell him I'd rather be sailing with the money any day.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[prymsu]

Barb, I have the same attitude as you - i would rather save for another fabulous vacation that spend money on jewelry. in all our travels i have only purchased one bracelet, other than that i can do without the expensive jewelry.

 

[andicat]

Just an aside - - I am surprised that taswira hasn't responded to this thread. She leads photo safaris in East Africa. In fall of 2000 she took a small group on an evaluation safari for a brand new safari company in Tanzania. The director of the company had to make a quick departure from the Serengeti to get to Dar Es Salam because several of his people had been murdered at his Tanzanite mine, which I guess was one of the biggest in the country. After taswira returned to the U.S., she found out that this guy's mine was one connected to Bin Laden. The safari company failed her evaluation, and in 9 trips to Africa she has never brought back any tanzanite. She doesn't buy it when on cruises either!

 

[taswira]

<B>andicat:</B> I was just PM'd about your post here! You <I>almost</I> got the spelling right (it was Dar Es Salaam he went running to!). It is true that I do not own and will not purchase any tanzanite. However, I encourage others to buy it if they really like it. There is no way to tell who will profit from it, but then that is the case with <I>a lot</I> of things we all buy! And andicat, please warn me next time you decide to post about any of my "experiences"!