Blood Diamonds
Prestigious diamonds attract those who want to display their wealth through jewelry all around the world, including Americans. Some people fail to comprehend the reality behind the deadly and terrorist-funded trade of diamonds. Kono, the diamond mining capital of Sierra Leone, Africa, is now home to rebels who call themselves the R.U.F. (Revolutionary United Front). The revenue from diamond purchases influences the illegal trade, which killed and mutilated millions of enslaved African miners. America’s economy is deeply impacted by the increase of diamond sales, which indirectly funds warlords who provide firearms for terrorist movements in Africa.
Since 1991, “blood diamond” trading has been increasingly prevalent in Africa, mainly between Sierra Leone and Liberia. Sierra Leone’s mines supply the R.U.F., which trades diamonds to the Liberian government in exchange for weapons. Liberia, in turn, trades diamonds to the West and the U.S. Diamond profits make up 14 to 16 percent of the worlds money, and America is a major consumer. This boosts America’s economy because the demand is high for diamonds, which in turn makes large profits. Diamonds don’t just fund America’s economy. Al- Queda is another group that trades weapons for diamonds with Africa in order to fund their illegal operations. In other words, the money spent by American diamond dealers directly funds terrorist groups and organizations alike.
Laws and regulations for diamond trading have been created, but illegal trades still occur. Instead of directly shipping the diamonds, terrorist groups trade to neighboring countries who mix dirty diamonds in with regulated diamonds. In 2003, a certification was created called the “Kimberly Process”, which is a certificate that separated dirty diamonds from the regulated ones. The Kimberly Process is only one of the attempts that were made to stop these illegal transactions. This allows the general public to request for a jewelers...