Conflict “Blood”
Diamonds
by Ryan Dinney
Unlike many issues this one is not isolated to one specific location. It exists in nations and countries throughout Africa creating war, slavery, and famine with just their presence and the desire they create in the minds of men. In the 1990’s and early 2000’s in Sierra Leone an insurgent group known as the Revolutionary United Front were responsible for the killing of 75,000 innocent people. They would threaten, and often cut off the arms of the men, women and children living and working in diamond villages until they were able to take control of the mines in the area for themselves. Then they would systematically move on to the next village, then the next and so on doing the exact same thing essentially moving across the entirety of the country. People fled their homes in fear of death and or mutilation at the hands of the RUF, and over 2 million people left Sierra Leone completely to the point that many people fled their homes in fear. In total approximately 20,000 innocent workers and people suffered bodily mutilation amongst the 75,000 that were killed.(howstuffworks) During this whole massacre and mindless killing and mutilation, it was found that the president of the neighbouring Liberia, Charles G. Taylor, whose country was in a civil war of its own, had actually been funding the RUF with large amounts of weaponry and ammunition in exchange for Blood Diamonds mined from the taken over territories controlled by the Revolutionary United Front. He was accused by the United Nations of war crimes and crimes against humanity and was eventually imprisoned in 2012 for a sentence of 50 years. (Wikipedia)
Conflict Diamonds otherwise known as Blood Diamonds, are diamonds that are sold and used to fund violent conflicts and atrocities of war throughout the continent of Africa. They are usually mined in a war zone and sold to whoever will buy them which then finances the war efforts of insurgents, rebel armies or a Warlord. This illegal sale of Conflict Diamonds has produced billions of dollars which go to fund civil wars and various conflicts in nations and countries such as Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many of the recent large-scale wars in these countries have been fought for and financed by Blood Diamonds, being sold to wealthier and more western countries in return for weapons and ammunitions. (Wikipedia) It is often the case that slaves are the ones used to extract the diamonds, in many instances those taken from the previous controlling factions families and surviving members. This issue vastly reached the global stage when the 2006 feature film Blood Diamonds starring Leonardo DiCaprio was released as it centred on the diamond and slave trade in Africa. This led to worldwide knowledge of the diamond trade and increased awareness. (Wikipedia)
Unlike many issues this one is not isolated to one specific location. It exists in nations and countries throughout Africa creating war, slavery, and famine with just their presence and the desire they create in the minds of men. In the 1990’s and early 2000’s in Sierra Leone an insurgent group known as the Revolutionary United Front were responsible for the killing of 75,000 innocent people. They would threaten, and often cut off the arms of the men, women and children living and working in diamond villages until they were able to take control of the mines in the area for themselves. Then they would systematically move on to the next village, then the next and so on doing the exact same thing essentially moving across the entirety of the country. People fled their homes in fear of death and or mutilation at the hands of the RUF, and over 2 million people left Sierra Leone completely to the point that many people fled their homes in fear. In total approximately 20,000 innocent workers and people suffered bodily mutilation amongst the 75,000 that were killed.(howstuffworks) During this whole massacre and mindless killing and mutilation, it was found that the president of the neighbouring Liberia, Charles G. Taylor, whose country was in a civil war of its own, had actually been funding the RUF with large amounts of weaponry and ammunition in exchange for Blood Diamonds mined from the taken over territories controlled by the Revolutionary United Front. He was accused by the United Nations of war crimes and crimes against humanity and was eventually imprisoned in 2012 for a sentence of 50 years. (Wikipedia)
Similar conflicts and situations have occurred and in some cases are still occurring today in other countries and nations throughout Africa. While many of the wars are now over and Conflict Diamonds are taking up a lesser percentage of the legitimate diamond trade, there existence is still very real and destroying the lives and even ending the ones of many people. Over the course of these wars and conflicts centred on Conflict Diamonds, which majorly began in the late 1980’s, it is estimated that it has cost the lives of nearly 4 million throughout all the war and conflict.(howstuffworks)
In terms of rectifying the situation, in 2003 a government run organization known as the Kimberly Process was created in an attempt to reduce and eliminate the amount of conflict diamonds being distributed and sold. Their goals were to help stabilize fragile and war torn countries and support and even aid in their development. There has been a large amount of legitimate diamonds being brought onto the legal market that in the past would have been sold into illegal ones and aiding the efforts of criminals and Warlords. This has increased the economic standpoint of these impoverished countries governments, and has helped them in addressing the many challenges and needs regarding to their development and growing as both a legally operating nation and a safe one free of conflict. A good example which shows the efforts of the Kimberley Process is that an approximate 125 million worth of diamonds were legally extracted and exported from Sierra Leone in the year of 2006, when only 6 years prior that number would have been close to zero. (Amnesty/Wikipedia)
It’s currently thought that 99.8% of the world’s diamonds are now legitimate and taken from non-conflict areas. Unfortunately however the program does not prevent Conflict Diamonds from being smuggled from across the borders of war torn countries to protected Kimberley Process countries and then imitated and sold as legitimate ones. In 2006 alone there are reports of roughly 23 million dollars worth in illegal Blood Diamonds were smuggled into the legal trade out of the Ivory Coast and they were sold as legitimate ones. (howstuffworks) Even those there have been large efforts put in place and it has dramatically reduced the amounts which exist in today’s current world, however this issue is ever present and is still responsible for the deaths of millions.
Bibliography:
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.globalwitness.org/campaigns/conflict/conflict-diamonds
anon. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_diamond
Collins, N. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/7928039/What-are-blood-diamonds.html
Brown, P. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/business-and-human-rights/oil-gas-and-mining-industries/conflict-diamonds
How the African Diamond Trade Works."HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2014. <http://money.howstuffworks.com/african-diamond-trade2.htm>
Nice article, I didn't know that blood diamonds are such an issue in Africa. Do you think it would be possible for them to detect blood diamond smuggling into protected territories? Is there more information on how this issue could be fixed?
ReplyDeleteThe issue is currently all to real. Even though conflict and mining has decreased over the past few years and decade much still occurs and destroys the lives of thousands of people. The only way they could identify the illegal diamonds would be to actaully catch the smugglers while the diamonds themselves have no physical traits that distinguish them from other diamonds. The Kimberly Process is the best thing to ever happen for this issue and has done a lot of good for these countries and the diamond industry in general. However there is not much more to be done unless they increased the security on borders to ensure smuggling does not occur and in theory the UN could intervene and try to shut down mines but like many issues it will most likely always occur in some quantity
Deletedont worry man ill give you some love! wow i had no clue that slaves are the ones used to extract the diamonds! that absolutely crazy! im just wondering if theirs anyway i could become involved and protect these men and women!!
ReplyDeleteNot in all cases but in many yes slaves are used. And unless you are willing to risk your life and physically travel their and try to save people i do not recommend it. Just be more aware when purchasing things like jewelry and that the companies are using due diligence to ensure they are conflict free diamonds.
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