Yes! No-Conflict Diamonds

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Archive for the “sierra leone diamond conflict” Category

No Conflict Diamonds | Reading about blood diamonds in the worldpress

June 17, 2006, 8:00 pm

Earlier today, I remembered an online article I’d read from about five months ago, which was written by Pervenia Brown, on world press. And the part that struck me the most was a quote that was in there about a report by the Partnership Africa Canada. It said that “upwards of 50,000 have been killed, half the population displaced, and more than two-thirds of its already severely limited infrastructure destroyed.” And that meanwhile, the underground trade of illicit diamonds is thriving. As conflict diamonds are valued “between 4 percent and 15 percent of the world total” and generate annual trade revenues of $7.5 billion.”

Which to be true in this day and age, just as a possibility, is staggering. So please
read the rest of the Blood Diamonds in Sierra Leone article. And make sure to be aware of your bling’s certificate of origin. As we try to ensure legitimate governance under international law, always.

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    (posted in the diamond, diamonds, conflict diamonds, conflict diamonds africa, sierra leone diamond conflict, diamond conflict in sierra leone category)


    Blood Diamond: The Movie

    June 8, 2006, 12:54 pm

    I was reading up on this movie, in production now, called Blood Diamond. It’s directed by Edward Zwick, who also directed The Last Samurai and Courage Under Fire, and will film on location in Port Edward, South Africa; Maputo, Mozambique and Cape Town, South Africa.

    The synopsis is based around the horrific civil war in Sierra Leone, circa 1999, revolving primarily with ‘blood diamonds,” also known as ‘’conflict diamonds”. Which are the precious stones used to finance rebellions, privateers, and terrorists. Told through the story of Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a South African mercenary, and Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a Mende fisherman. Both men are African, but their varied histories as such must come together in a common quest. As Archer, in prison for smuggling, finds out that Solomon – who was taken from his family and forced to work in the diamond fields – has found and hidden the extraordinary rough stone. With the help of Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American journalist, the two men embark on a trek through rebel territory. A journey that could save Solomon’s family and give Archer the second chance he thought he would never have, all as they attempt to thwart the syndicate that controls the local diamond mining industry.

    Thus far, a release date is idealized for late in this year.

    But it made me start wondering, will this story actually bring attention to the fundamentals of the issue, through the use of the star power at its disposal? Or will it just become an idealistic voyage of fanfare by those who have no real grasp of what dangerous ground they toil upon?

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    (posted in the diamond, diamonds, conflict diamonds, conflict diamonds africa, sierra leone diamond conflict, what are conflict diamonds, diamond conflict in sierra leone, conflict diamond mining, what is a conflict diamond category)


    No Conflict Diamonds | What is the Conflict

    May 7, 2006, 10:37 am

    An article I found by Raquel Montague that speaks to the issue of blood, or conflict, diamonds and what you, as a consumer, should do and know about it.

    Back in the year 2000, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on the role of diamonds in fuelling conflict. In taking up this agenda item, the General Assembly formally recognized that the illicit diamond trade plays a significant role in armed conflict, especially in the case of Sierra Leone.

    Conflict diamonds are diamonds that are sold to fund the activities of rebel, military, and terrorist groups. The countries most affected by the illegal diamond trade are Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These are all places where citizens have been terrorized, mutilated, and killed by groups in control of the local diamond trade.

    [Continued …]

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    (posted in the diamond, diamonds, conflict diamonds, conflict diamonds africa, sierra leone diamond conflict, what are conflict diamonds, diamond conflict in sierra leone, what is a conflict diamond category)



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