Diamond Wars: Continuation of Conflict

Children in Sierra Leone, Congo, Angola, are often recruits for civil wars funded by diamonds. According to Human Right Watch, “In Sierra Leone, thousands of children abducted by rebel forces witnessed and participated in horrible atrocities against civilians, including beheadings, amputations, rape, and burning people alive.” If children are unwilling to do so, they are often drugged. The casualties for child soldiers are high and those who do survive have difficulty returning to civilian life.

Diamond Mines

            Diamond mines are not only hazardous to miners and their families, but the environment as well. The exposure of HIV/AIDS is high in several mining camps that do not enforce family rules. Miners are affected by camp sex-workers.  Also numerous camp sites were originally the homes of indigenous people who now have to live off of their land. Finally pollutants from diamond mines seep into the ground water causing harm to animals as well as humans.

What you Actually Pay for when Buying a Diamond

            Diamonds were not always a woman’s best friend. In fact it was the De Beer diamond cartel that campaign such an idea. Over 100 years ago, huge deposits of diamonds were found in southern Africa that should have caused the price of diamonds to drop drastically. However, through campaigning of diamonds for engagement rings, and creating an illusion of rarity, diamonds have remained valuable to the cartel. The retail that comes from the sales of diamonds is about fifty billion dollars a year. Anyone who is buying a diamond is paying for a well-overpriced rock.