Blood Diamonds Are Back

Foreign Policy ^ | December 24, 2009 | Greg Campbell

[myknowledge]

It's a safe bet that most of those surprised with diamond jewelry over the holidays did not pause long, if at all, to consider where their new gemstones came from. "Santa's elves" is a good enough answer for most people, and even those who are aware that some diamonds have been known to come from African war zones may not have given the matter much thought this year.

"Conflict diamonds," also known as "blood diamonds," are rough stones mined at gunpoint by slaves and prisoners for the enrichment of those holding the weapons. They were a cause célèbre at the beginning of the decade, when human rights groups exposed the role of diamonds in conflicts in Sierra Leone and Angola, but in recent years the issue has largely fallen off the radar of socially conscious western consumers. That's not because the situation has improved.

The sordid business of blood diamonds was believed to have ended with the adoption in 2003 of the Kimberley Process, a UN-sanctioned agreement between 75 countries that import and export diamonds, diamond industry leaders and nongovernmental organizations. Its mission is to certify that diamonds on sale at the corner jeweler did not arrive there at the expense of murdered and mutilated Africans.

[myknowledge]

The conflict diamond business has reemerged and is once again thriving on the blood and sweat of poor Africans.

The U.N. sanctioned Kimberly Process behaved like the Prohibition legislation, which was counterproductive in a sense that more alcohol was consumed and mob-related crime increased. We see here that the conflict diamond trade has increased and more African miners loose their limbs and lives mining this precious allotropic substance from the soil of their resource rich continent.

What do you think?

[DoughtyOne]

Strange, I don’t see blood for global cooling being discussed anywhere.

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Historically speaking, the moment the UN becomes involved in any program, of any type, anywhere in the world... it is destine to be fail, polluted to death by UN corruption and global scandal.

[Cacique]

Money and power has always had it’s price in blood and always will be paid as such..

[Loud Mime]

Wimmin don’t care. They want the carats no matter how many lives are lost (directly or indirectly) getting them to their fingers and ears. A diamond is forever, just like death.

Just in mining accidents alone, almost 400 people are killed in Africa alone while working in the diamond mines.....that info was from an old National Geographic or NOVA special on jewels some twenty years ago.

[historyrepeatz]

“Blood Diamonds”. Isn’t that a bit racist?

[Venturer]

What’s the big difference between Diamonds prospected for by blacks in Africa,and Nike Shoes made by Chinese prisoners?

[tubebender]

Just another attempted guilt trip by some $2.00 an hour writer who had to buy his boyfriend silk panties at Kmart...

[wendy1946]

What do you think?

Would that every evil in the world were as easy to avoid any sort of complicity in as this one....

[correctthought]

Yes it does.

I believe the problem was taken care of by mercenaries; but the UN put made that particular country stop the practice, cause mercenaries = bad. This brought back slavery and the “blood diamonds”. I’m not sure, but I think it was in Congo.

By the way, can a crip where a “blood diamond”? Just curious.

[myknowledge]

One thing in common: Employment and exploitation of slave labor.

[Martel1971]

Why do w need so many “new” diamonds? If they are forever we should be drowning in crystallized carbon. I can see the need for industrial grade diamonds, but we should have more than enough jewelry grade stones.

[Eagle Eye]

You thinking Crips Diamonds also?

[wardaddy]

As someone formerly involved in that business in Sierra Leone and knowing full well how much starving locals depend on such endeavors to just not starve to death and get medicine for their kids, I think hand wringing over “blood” diamonds is just another thing for spoiled white folks to feel guilty about and think of some way to make an issue of it to then preen over how noble they are to have discovered yet another injustice being perpetuated by whites against negroid raced folks.

You asked what I thought. There you have it.

How many folks fret about blood Chinese toys?

or blood cocaine or blood heroin?, blood rum or rhum or sugar or molasses?

or blood soybeans or blood fancy timber from Brasil?

or blood cocoa from west Africa?

or blood alumina from wherever?

P> now back to the real world outside whitelandia, primitive developing nations folks depend on folks making something happen there if they have the chance...metals, ore, petroleum, timber....and they need outside capital and expertise since they lack that domestically

ask any of them what they want...

this reminds me of killing logging towns in the Cascades to save owls and not giving a rip about the locals

[sinanju]

Because De Beers legendary multi-decade “A diamond is forever” campaign made sure to implant the notion that 2nd hand diamonds are gauche.

[TexasFreeper2009]

sweet man you appreciate them all the more knowing that people worked so hard to get them.

[UCANSEE2]

What’s the big difference between Diamonds prospected for by blacks in Africa,and Nike Shoes made by Chinese prisoners?

You can't get laid with a pair of Nike shoes.

[myknowledge]

[Bronzy]

Booush is out of office and those who care about the poor are in power. Do as we say not as we do.

[rackatoot]

Blood gold - we don’t give it a second thought. I figure that much of the world’s gold through the ages has been stolen at some time from someone else who had to die. I don’t believe anyone cares where there gold come from, so why do they get worked up over blood diamonds?