If I am buying a diamond from a region in Africa that does NOT produce conflict diamonds, am I supporting something else that is bad for people?

Well, I wouldn't say that you are doing bad things to the world. Obviously, mining is sometimes very dangerous to the earth, and you should be aware that a large scale mining project like the one in Botswana does damage the earth's natural state and can be environmentally harmful to the country in which it is done, and to the people who work and live near the mine. You can look up a lot of pictures of diamond mining in Botswana, and you can see the damage and change it does to the surface of the area where the mines are. In African countries there is less regulation, so there is probably more environmental damage than is done by a lot of mines in western nations (although we also have our problems with things that we mine like metal and fuel sources). That being said...mining in Botswana supports the entire country, and is the only real reason why Botswana is one of the most developed economies in Africa, and the reason why people there live at a higher standard than most of the people in other African countries. So, no, you aren't supporting something that has no positive effects on people and the world. If you are really worried about the environmental impact, however, but still want a diamond above other things...try for an estate diamond or an antique or vintage diamond. Then you can be sure that you aren't supporting current diamond mining practices and you wont have to wonder about it, if it is something that bothers you.

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