Three characters of widely different backgrounds come together in the search for an extremely sought after gem. This instalment examines the littleknown truth about how the worldwide diamond trade has funded wars across western and central africa, leading to the deaths of millions of people. A diamonds true price blood diamonds africa the new york. See also letter signed by president djotodia granting omar sodiam access to diamond mines in car and authority to sell diamonds in sudan, dubai, qatar and china without interference from bedcor, on file with global witness. An analysis of the movie, blood diamond essay 1197 words 5 pages. These awful facts about blood diamonds will make your. Blood diamonds by greg campbell is the eyeopening story revealing the horrifying truth of how the. The main idea that we all should remember after watching the movie is to be more informed when we purchase something of great value. The central african republic is a classic case of blood diamonds, exactly what the kimberley process was intended to address, says michael gibb of global witness, a u. Blood diamonds won the colorado nonfiction book of the year award in 2002. To avoid buying blood diamonds, time suggests looking for dealers that are certified as complying with the kimberley. By 1993, savimbi had in place the worlds largest diamond smuggling network, netting hundreds of million dollars a year with which he bought arms.
Not the book itself, its pretty well written, but who wants to know the diamond you bought. Blood diamon ds also called confl ict diamo nds, brown dia mond s, hot d iamonds, or red dia monds ar e diamonds mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, an invading armys war efforts, or a warlords activity. By 1888, rhodes controlled the entire south african diamond supply. Blood diamonds in africa caroline mutuku elaboration economics industrial. Blood diamond history banning the trade in african blood conflict diamonds the trade in the conflict or blood diamonds of africa, including those from sierra leone, was curbed by the world diamond council on january 17 18 2001 when the the kimberley process certification scheme kpcs was.
The term is used to highlight the negative conseq uences of the diamond trade in certain areas, or to labe l an indi vidual diamond as having come from such an area. He wrote the film with the assumption that it would offend the diamond industry. Blood diamonds are indistinguishable from ordinary rough diamonds, and individual jewellers are not certified by the kimberley process, but buyers are advised only to. These awful facts about blood diamonds will make your heart bleed. Follow a diamonds path from the mines of africa to the showrooms of paris in this exclusive photo essay. Blood diamonds, also known as conflict diamonds, are stones that are produced in areas controlled by rebel forces that are opposed to internationally recognized governments. Blood diamonds threat returns to africa washington times. These blood diamonds are smuggled out of west africa and sold to. Diamonds that fuel civil wars are often called blood or conflict diamonds. Fittingly diamonds are made of pure carbon, and diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to man. But with control over so many diamonds, they worried about flooding the market, making the price too cheap to be worth the expense of mining them. All there is to know about the blood diamonds in africa.
More than three million people died as a result of these wars in the 1990s and the early 2000s. Blood diamonds of south africa the african continent is notorious for the valuable resources that it contains underneath the earths surface and numerous controversies have appeared as a result of people exploiting its riches in unorthodox ways. Consequences of the illegal sale of blood diamonds in africa. Now the architect of the deal has quit, warning that. The story of diamonds in africa began between december 1866 and february 1867, when a 15yearold found a transparent stone on his fathers farm, on the south bank of the orange river. There was even a movie called blood diamond that describes some of the tragedies and violent acts that happen during blood diamonds extractions. The sordid history behind africas conflict diamonds. In 20, a civil war erupted in the central african republic, with both sides fighting over the countrys diamond resources. Most of us have heard the term blood diamond but many are not aware of its complete implications. Archer, also a veteran of the 32 battalion fighting in the south african border war, was. First discovered in 1930, the diamonds of sierra leone have funded one of the most savage rebel campaigns in modern history. Tracing the deadly path of the worlds most precious stones.
Blessing and curse in sierra leone, a young diamond miner holds in his palm what he believes is a diamond at a mining pit near koidu. Diamonds were smuggled from sierra leone to his country of liberia and those diamond profits were used in exchange for materials and services to support the war. The dark side of diamonds they sparkle, they shine, theyre supposed to be a girls best friend. Inside the largest diamond heist in history, a chronicle of one of the worlds largest diamond heists from the diamond district in antwerp, belgium. Bangui, central african republic whenever he extracts a diamond from the muddy waters of the kadeimambere river, christophe gounou hums a traditional song of perseverance in sango, the local language in this wartorn nation. Global witness wrote a report titled a rough trade. He explains that conflict diamonds, or blood diamonds, which account for only three to four percent. The book was published by union square press in 2010. In so doing, he makes the reader fully aware of west africas deadlast nations. Blood diamonds are diamonds mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, an. Campbell writes, rebels smuggled and sold diamonds at premium prices to.
Most of the time, the people behind these civil wars and rebellions oppose legitimate governments and desire. Blood diamonds earn their name based on how they are extracted from the earth, by whom and for what purpose. The new movie, which depicts atrocities fueled by illicit sales of african conflict diamonds, could and should lead to public outrage. At one point, he takes the readers focus to a city in sierra leone, freetown, where the city. Executive outcomes south african mercenary group hired by the sierra leone government in exchange for services. These blood diamonds are smuggled out of west africa and sold to legitimate diamond merchants in london, antwerp, and new york, often with the complicity of the international diamond industry. Global witness interviews, central african republic, 2014. The return of blood diamonds six years ago, the world came together to stop a trade in gems that was fuelling civil war in africa. By far one of the best war dramas of modern times, blood diamond is a powerful testament in the film industry boasting intense and wellexecuted action scenes. They are known as blood diamonds sold by rebels and governments to fund their war campaigns. The makers of blood diamond, an exceptionally foolish thriller starring a most excellent leonardo dicaprio, want you to know there may be blood on your hands, specifically your wedding finger. Blood diamonds by greg campbell is firstrate journalistic sleuthing, tracing the. For months now, africa s rough diamonds have been increasing in value but the sale proceeds do not reach the people. Campbell, a freelance writer, sets out to rub the noses of diamondlovers in the gore of.
Blood diamond stars leonardo dicaprio as an african mercenary on the. These blood diamonds are smuggled out of west africa and sold to legitimate diamond. But many of the stones are dubious in origin, coming from african countries immersed in civil wars. The name diamond comes from the greek word, adamas meaning unconquerable. The author is a journalist and much of what he reports is first hand based on. The movie blood diamond was released in 2006 and featured leonardo di caprio as an arms smuggler whose main goal is to obtain a seemingly priceless diamond from a villager during the civil war in sierra leone. Although many diamond fueled wars have now ended, conflict diamonds remain a serious problem. Freelance journalist campbell here writes about the cost of diamonds not in dollars to the consumer but in blood, torture, and death for the unfortunate residents of contested mining areas in sierra leone. Africa is rich in diamonds but still poor africa dw. Blood diamond is a beautifully shot war thriller set against the backdrop of the sierra leone civil war, starring leonardo dicaprio and djimon hounsou in their oscarnominated roles. Blood diamond is a 2006 political war thriller film coproduced and directed by edward zwick. He wrote three books, was a benefactor of the universitys library and a past president of the waterview cluster neighborhood association in reston, va. Three specific conflictsin angola, the democratic republic of the congo.
The rule of lawlessness in the central african republic, fueled with money from blood diamonds and poached ivory, has hardened religious identities, divided muslim and christian communities with. The main reason blood diamond history began is due to the fact that these four african countries needed money to buy military supplies to fight the war, and so those countries started to force its own people to mine diamonds. The rebels sell these diamonds, and the money is used to purchase arms or to fund their military actions. If blood diamond is not causing alarm among jewelers, as the world diamond council wdc insists, it should be. While it is possible to laseretch each stone with an invisible license number, as some canadian mines do, it is expensive. These blood diamonds are smuggled out of west africa and sold to legitimate. Journalist greg campbell leads the reader down the international diamond trail of brutality, horror, and profit providing an ontheground and inthemines story of global consequencefirst discovered in 1930, the diamonds of sierra leone have funded one of the most savage rebel campaigns in modern history. This book is about how diamonds fuelled some of the most brutal wars in africa. Experts claim that the illegal sale of blood diamonds has produced billions of dollars to fund civil wars and other conflicts in various african nations, including sierra leone where conflict ended in 2002, angola, liberia, ivory coast and the democratic republic of congo drc. Blood diamonds is a madefortv documentary series, originally broadcast on the history channel, that looks into the trade of diamonds which fund rebellions and wars in many african nations. A diamonds true price blood diamonds africa the new. Blood diamond by edward zick presented a dark side of the african world of which hollywood had never seen before.
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