While we cannot eradicate the greed of the diamond monopoly or the appetite of power hungry rebels, as consumers we can remove ourselves from contributing to the problem and become part of the solution. Change will only come through action motivated by a sincere understanding of the impact of our decisions.
We encourage you to investigate for yourself and make and informed decision. Here are some resources we recommend. (We strongly urge that you consider the source of any information you uncover.)
National Geographic - Diamonds of War
Trace the deadly path of the world's most precious stones.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Typ4veznQ
Blood diamonds documentary by the History channel
The documentary explores the factors that led to the violence, tells the vivid details of the suffering, and speaks with the organizations that eventually exposed the link between diamonds and several brutal African conflicts. BLOOD DIAMONDS also looks at the steps eventually taken by advocacy organizations and the diamond industry to combat the problem.
BLOOD DIAMONDS looks to some of the worlds foremost experts for the facts of the history of the diamond trade, and goes to the heart of the matter, interviewing both the victims and perpetrators of diamond-fueled atrocities in countries like Sierra Leone. One such victim is Usman Conteh. Captured by rebels in Sierra Leones Kono district, Usman was forced to mine diamonds for rebels diamonds the rebels then sold or traded for arms. After months in captivity, Usman escaped only to find rebels had murdered his family.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfOnQptZKlw
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNTvAg0MpW8
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12wSZSghTok
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVd17v2S_e8
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTsOEIBaLjg
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeTxYyknaos
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RITzuCLJK6A
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqNKj0kD9jc
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROR6aMolmSY
Blood Diamond Documentary - Zimbabwe
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2SnoKocUL8
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_-GGQ-IyCE
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3LDyx1-Cck
A Zimbabwean MP who was about to reveal to an international delegation the site of a mass grave of diamond diggers, allegedly killed by government troops last November, has been arrested and jailed.
Blood on the stone
Sorius Samura looks at the aftermath of the civil war in Sierra Leone, in particular, the illicit diamond trade that financed the war. Samura attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of The Kimberley Process as well as looking at just how the diamond trade affects ordinary communities in Africa and how easy it is to still smuggle blood diamonds.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpgGFB7JgAY
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FerPoHY4QAQ
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmmhYKplTc4
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpogQLAyB74
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j64rBSJKTmw
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1GL3mZPveo
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vgrDc3lKos
Here are some recommended places to search for videos and news reels. Please read the information that goes with the footage. Please be aware, some videos can be extremely graphic.
Film and video news libraries.
http://www.youtube.com
http://www.aparchive.com
http://www.alamy.com
http://www.gettyimages.com/Footage/FootageHome.aspx
Recommended key search words:
Congo diamond mine
Diamond miners
Sierra Leone diamond mine
Liberia diamond mining
West Coast Africa
Liberia civil war
African civil war
Conflict diamonds
Blood diamonds
African Children
Kimmie Weeks
SOS Children Villages
Doctors without Boarders Africa
Unicef Africa
The Diamond Empire
Additional factual information:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
http://unimaps.com
