Blood Diamonds Are Still Bloody

Abstract


The story of blood diamonds is pretty straight forward but has been exacerbated by those who are misguided, as they try to rectify the situation by giving information that is incorrect and out of date. (Bob Boland 2007-2010, Diamond buying made easy). The term “Blood Diamonds” refers to the bloody civil war fought in Sierra Leone throughout the 90’s and finally ended in 2002. In the civil war in 1990, the Revolutionary United Front, or RUF, took over the diamond mines in Sierra Leone [such as the field of Marange.] The Executive Outcomes were hired to drive the RUF out. Then in 1996 after the election they were asked to leave by the new president Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. In short order the RUF was again back in power at the diamond fields. It was during the next six year period that the RUF teamed up with Charles Taylor and so began a gory rampage against anyone who stood in their way of gaining power. It was in this atrocious civil war that the RUF started amputating the hands of the people of Sierra Leone because they voted in the election. This article summarizes this by stating;

1. The tragedy of Sierra Leone’s civil war is over and the chapter is closed. There are no current conflicts going on where Blood Diamonds are fueling any type of unbelievable inhumanity as was witnessed in Sierra Leone. (Bob Boland 2007-2010, Diamond buying made easy).

2. You will be able to buy diamonds with confidence knowing you will not be buying “Blood Diamonds” you will likely be funding these developing countries build hospitals, schools and new roads. (Bob Boland 2007-2010, Diamond buying made easy).

This review on the literature “Diamond Buying Made Easy,” attempts to show the accuracy of the Sierra Leone civil war and the “Blood Diamonds” of Africa. Read on.....

Blood Diamonds Are Still Bloody

Civil war started in the early 1990’s and was declared over in 2002 after British and U.N. troops disarmed 45,000 rebels. During this war thousands of men, women and children were attacked and many had their limbs cut off with machetes. Their only crime was that they “might” vote. Their feet were amputated to prevent them walking to the voting places and the hands were cut off to prevent them from voting if they did make it. Another reason they were attacked was to put fear in the hearts of the people, an act of war, a brutal attack that the people of Sierra Leone still live with today.

By the time the war ended at least 120,000 people were murdered, and tens of thousands were mutilated, having noses, legs, arms or ears cut off. It was not until 2009 that the war crimes tribunal was set to hand down a verdict against three rebel RUF leaders accused of committing atrocities during the civil war. Foday Sankoh died of natural causes before he could be brought to trial for war crimes. (AFP) – Feb 24, 2009 all three men were convicted and given lengthy prison terms while as of the date of this writing, Charles Taylor has still not been tried as he awaits his trial to be rescheduled. BBC News Africa (January 28, 2010)

Most of the diamonds from the Marangue fields are directly linked to smuggling by the Zanu -PF party. (Open PR, 2010) There is not any evidence that monies from the diamond mines are being used to reform and rebuild Sierra Leone, instead countries like The United States and Great Britain have promised money for aid as has Berlin, who is the only one of the three to insist the money be disbursed through NGO’s and the World Bank. The diamonds are still being smuggled out and FBI reports that Al Quida funded its attack on September 11, 2001 by the diamonds from Sierra Leone. The same time (1998) they blew up the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Sudan Al Queda operatives were buying up diamonds, and as recently as 3 months before the attack on the trade center Al Queda had laundered millions of dollars buying diamonds from the RUF. (Amnesty International, Diamonds 2010)

There is a bloodbath still going on today in Zimbabwe’s diamond mines. Human Rights Watch has come out strongly against the Zimbabwe government. Zimbabwe agreed to a withdrawal of its armed forces from diamond fields, yet soldiers still control most of the diamond fields. There are numerous media reports that the Marangue diamonds are funding the ruling Zanu PF party and Robert Mugabe, president is being kept by the profits. Mugabe is also accused of numerous human rights violations. (Open PR Human Rights Watch believes Zimbabwe continues selling April4, 2010)