Blood Diamonds

Image via WikipediaBack in 2006, I was able to watch a movie called Blood Diamond starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Djimon Hounsou, directed by Edward Zwick.

The Plot of the story was back in Sierra Leone Civil war in the 1990's were the country is torn apart between the government and the rebels. It even portrays that some of the rebels would even amputate the hands of the civilians to prevent them from voting. Djimon's character, Solomon was even captivated to mine for diamonds while his son was being brainwashed and trained as a heartless rebel soldier. As the story goes Leonardo's character and Djimon's character joined forces one is to help him find his family and 2 Leonardo wants to get the big diamond that Djimon hid. Just the watch the movie and you will love it.

So what is a black diamond?

"In relation to diamond trading, blood diamond (also called a converted diamond, conflict diamond, hot diamond or a war diamond) refers to a diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army's war efforts, or a warlord's activity, usually in Africa."

Diamonds are symbols of wealth, elegance and love around the world. But in several African nations, they have been a means to power, a reason to terrorize millions of innocent civilians, and may have even helped finance some of the world's most brutal terrorists.

Other than the movie, I was able to watch a documentary about it in the History Channel.

By watching the Documentary and the movie.

I am deeply saddened on how the innocence of young children were used as soldiers, brainwashed to kill other people. On how the rebels used lower cast men, forcing them to work and pulling them out from their families. The diamond miners were deprived so much of things that all of the rights cited on The Declaration of Human Rights by the UN were denied from them.

The RUF's also known as the Revolutionary United Front did not think twice on the things they have done on their country. More likely, these rebels reminded me of the rebels, the gangs back on one of my blogs, about the trade of charcoal in Congo.

Although, I can not say that I know how people feel back in those countries (Liberia, The Democratic Republic of Congo, The Republic of Congo, Angola, Cote d' Ivoire, and Zimbabwe)that were being affected by such rowdy people ransacking their personal belongings, their family members etc. Yet, I understand were they are coming from. I can't even explain how I would react to such circumstances that I have not experienced and hopefully would not happen to either of my family members nor friends.

http://link.history.com/services/link/bcpid1681730306/bclid1672160781/bctid1658436440

http://link.history.com/services/link/bcpid1681730306/bclid1672160781/bctid1658436447

http://link.history.com/services/link/bcpid1681730306/bclid1672160781/bctid1658436449


http://link.history.com/services/link/bcpid1681730306/bclid1672160781/bctid1658436450

So who do you think are the people who they can blame for? No one in specific because most of the financers of the RUF? They are from countries such as U.S.A. and European Countries, who are exceptionally well off. These financers are able to fuel this pathetic rebels jsut to make their pockets bigger.

Can we blame the paritioners of the said financers? Maybe we can and maybe we can not. I beleive, the paritioners are smart enough to know if the diamond they are purchasing are blood diamonds or not. There is no harm done doing research on the items you are buying. It is like stopping buying illegal items from poachers. It is not difficult for people who have a heart and a reasonable mind.

When the buying stops, a lot of lives are being saved.

Information provided by Wikipedia, NGC and History Channel.


xoxo,