in africa. how are diamonds formed? diamonds take 3 billion years to make what are diamonds? they...
TRANSCRIPT
In Africa
Conflict/Blood
Diamonds
How are diamonds formed?Diamonds take 3 Billion years to make
What are diamonds?They are made of carbon that has been
crystallized from billions of years of pressure
http://youtu.be/vHPOp69SO9E
Diamonds
Rough Cut Diamond
Colored Diamonds
The rarest colors are red and purpleThe colors come from impurities in the stone (some other tiny mineral added to
the carbon)
25% of mined diamonds are used for jewelry
Diamonds consist of 80% of the gem trade
Clear diamonds are the most popularUsed in tools and in manufacturing2/3 of the world’s diamonds come from Africa (about 8.5 million dollars worth)
How are diamonds used?
Cut – can be cut into different shapes
Clarity- how clear is it?
Carat- how much does it weigh?
Color
The 4 C’s of a Good Diamond
They are diamonds mined in war zones and sold to finance the purchase of ammo and war supplies.
Essentially, diamonds are being sold to other nations in exchange for weapons to be used in war
What are blood diamonds?
Slave laborers dig up the diamonds
Militaries force the villages to dig up the diamonds
Some join willingly and hope to make some money as a miner
Many live separately from their families (in other countries) in hopes of making a living in the diamond mines
Two kinds of diggers: “Some are paid about a dollar a day and 30 percent of the value of
their stones, which they must hand over to a representative. Others work for a percentage of the gravel they extract and own any
stones they find. They should get a fair sale price, but dealers often exploit (take advantage of)
their ignorance.”
Who digs up the diamonds?
Conflict
Siaka Stevens became prime minister of Sierra Leone
He recognized how lucrative (profitable)
the diamond trade industry was
Stevens made a lot of money from mining and trading diamonds illegally
1968: Sierra Leone
Because of Steven’s greed, rebels (the RUF) step in and try to get rid of him
This starts a Civil War in Sierra Leone over power of the diamonds
RUF ousts the government and takes control of the diamond mines
RUF ends up being BRUTAL to the people of Sierra Leone over the diamonds
1991-2001 Sierra Leone
Most people thought that the RUF (rebel group) wanted to get rid of Stevens because he was exploiting the diamond industry and wanted to become wealthy.
Unfortunately, RUF wanted to control the
diamond mines, too.
The fighting got ugly, fast.
Rebels vs. Government
Labor conditions in the mines were extremely poor harsh punishment for small mistakes
To show their power, RUF cut off hands and legs of many people in Sierra LeoneThey wanted to make the people move away
from the diamond mine areas, so by cutting off parts of their body, they sent a message. “Move away!”
More than 10,000 people lost a body part to the RUF
With RUF in control of the diamonds…
17 year old boy in Sierra Leone lost both handsfrom rebels’ machetes
Women left without hands after a village raid in Sierra
Leone
“An estimated 50,000 people died during the war and untold thousands were permanently scarred.”
Hundreds of thousands to millions of Sierra Leoneans were refugees because of the violence
The RUF mined diamonds illegally and shipped them around the world in order to receive more money for weapons
$125 million dollars= the amount of money Europe spent on buying illegal diamonds (blood diamonds) during the Civil War.
“This means that this staggering amount of money went to fund the RUF who killed thousands of people during the civil war in Sierra Leone.”
Results of the Civil War
Refugees
African refugees
leaving war torn
regions
Blood Diamonds in Africa
Rebel guard guarding a diamond mine in Angola during civil war
13 year old boy carrying a sack
of rock in Mbuji-Mayi, the
Congolese “diamond capital.”
Children work in Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond mines
http://youtu.be/aenFOPbBvQo
Blood Diamonds Video: the Beginning
Cold and dampInjuries
Rocks fallingSharp objectsBrutal mine owners or “managers”Poor nutrition
Very little payMany are forced into working (slavery)Child Labor
Mine Conditions
http://youtu.be/2TT3NfoeDrc
Impact of Diamond Mining on Environment
Started by Cecil Rhodes
Operates in more than 20 countries
Has a monopoly on the diamond industry
DeBeers
DeBeers just sold its 40% stake of the company to Anglo American plc for $5.1 Billion in cash
This ends the 80 rule of the DeBeers empire by the Oppenheimer family
DeBeers con’t…
How do we stop the countries from selling diamonds in
exchange for money? How do we stop the sell of blood
diamonds?
What is the Kimberley Process?The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
(Kimberley Process or KP) is an international governmental certification scheme that was set up to prevent the trade in diamonds that fund conflict. Launched in January 2003, the scheme requires governments to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are conflict-free.
Kimberly Process
KPCS Certificate
http://youtu.be/yknIZsvQjG4
Blood Diamond Movie Trailer
http://youtu.be/i3Z4K_WWeBA
Lupe Fiasco “Blood Diamond”
Diamonds are expensive… but they shouldn’t cost people their
lives.
- Paul Kelbie, journalist
What price for these diamonds?