Blood Diamonds

Diamonds are said to be highly valuable and anonymous.  A mere handful of  smuggled stones can support an entire army or fund a terrorist organization.  This is a dirty little secret in the diamond industry.  They are easy to smuggle into this country as there is no orafice or piece of equipment that you can't hide a diamond in. They are easier to smuggle than drugs.  There is no smell and no trace so the dogs can't identify the smugglers.  It is a smugglers dream.  Alquida has been linked to diamond smuggling. Diamonds are sought after by many criminals and theives.  Antwerp is the main destination of smuggled diamonds.  Statistics show that 60% of the world's diamonds are smuggled.  Dealers from around the world come to Antwerp to buy uncut diamonds some not knowing of the corruption attached.  A diamond is a diamond no matter where it comes from.  Thankfully, most diamonds are legitimate, however they have fueled a series of brutal wars across Africa, a country with a history of corruption!  These diamonds can make or break a nation.  There is so much armed conflict over these precious stones that amputees have become the symbol of the modern Sierra Leone area of the West African Coast.  Many die in the process of mining.



Diamond sales produce 75 billion dollars every year. Men in the Sierra Leone area may dig for up to 7 days only to find 1 small rock that will pay him only $7.  They hope to buy a house or a motorcar for their family some day.  These men sell the diamonds to stores that in some cases trade them for goods.  Sometimes the dealers may carry a million dollars worth in their pocket.  It is a very dangerous job. 



How can a simple pebble mean so much?  Most are sold legally but all it takes are a corrupt few and the diamond pipeline can be used to buy weapons for another war.  These gems are mined in African war zones and sold to buy guns and  finance conflicts, and thereby profit warlords and diamond companies across the world.  Whoever controls the diamonds controls the war.  Rebels force men, women and children to dig for diamonds at gunpoint.  Then the diamonds are smuggled into world markets.  Consumers don't know that the diamonds they cherish originated from a blood war. Rest assured, not all diamonds are blood diamonds.  This corruption is killing the diamond industry though.



To most people diamonds are worth millions symbolizing love, affection, wealth, and glamour.  They are emblems of love and romance.  So pure you can see right through them.  When the love and romance  is absent the stone becomes a pebble.


Taken from  Blood Diamond is a 2006 war film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou.  The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Actor (DiCaprio) and Best Supporting Actor (Hounsou).