DIAMONDSDIAMONDS

DIAMONDSDIAMONDS

What’s so special about What’s so special about diamonds anyways?diamonds anyways?

• Diamonds are the hardest naturally Diamonds are the hardest naturally forming material on Earth, renowned for forming material on Earth, renowned for their beauty, strength, and durability. their beauty, strength, and durability. They have been known and hoarded by They have been known and hoarded by humans for thousands of years, and their humans for thousands of years, and their names from the Greek word for names from the Greek word for invincibleinvincible..

HOW ARE HOW ARE DIAMONDSDIAMONDS FORMED? FORMED?

• Diamonds come from deep within the Diamonds come from deep within the Earth’s crust, at depths of around 150 Earth’s crust, at depths of around 150 kilometers!kilometers!

• Diamonds come to the surface of the Diamonds come to the surface of the Earth when magma travels upwards. Earth when magma travels upwards.

• Most diamonds are over a billion years Most diamonds are over a billion years old by the time they reach the Earth’s old by the time they reach the Earth’s surface! surface!

60% of the world’s 60% of the world’s diamonds come from Africadiamonds come from Africa

•Sierra LeoneSierra Leone

•South AfricaSouth Africa

•Cote d’IvoireCote d’Ivoire

•Democratic Democratic

Republic ofRepublic of

Congo (DRC)Congo (DRC)

CONFLICT IN AFRICACONFLICT IN AFRICA

RWANDAN GENOCIDERWANDAN GENOCIDE19941994

Sierra LeoneSierra Leone

The The Sierra Leone Civil Sierra Leone Civil WarWar (1991–2002) began on  (1991–2002) began on 23 March 1991 when the 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front  Revolutionary United Front  (RUF), with support from (RUF), with support from the special forces of the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), intervened Liberia (NPFL), intervened in Sierra Leone in an in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government. Joseph Momoh government. The resulting civil The resulting civil war lasted 11 years, war lasted 11 years, enveloped the country, and enveloped the country, and left over 50,000 dead.left over 50,000 dead.

During the first year During the first year of the war, the RUF of the war, the RUF took control of a took control of a large swathes of large swathes of territory in eastern territory in eastern and southern Sierra and southern Sierra Leone, which were Leone, which were rich in alluvial rich in alluvial diamonds. diamonds. 

The presence of The presence of diamonds in Sierra diamonds in Sierra Leone invited and Leone invited and led to the civil war led to the civil war in several ways.in several ways.

First, the highly unequal First, the highly unequal benefits resulting from benefits resulting from diamond mining made diamond mining made ordinary Sierra ordinary Sierra Leoneans frustrated.Leoneans frustrated.

Diamonds also helped to Diamonds also helped to arm the Revolutionary arm the Revolutionary United Front rebels. United Front rebels. The RUF used funds The RUF used funds harvested from the harvested from the alluvial diamond mines alluvial diamond mines to purchase weapons to purchase weapons and ammunition from and ammunition from neighboring Guinea neighboring Guinea and Liberia. and Liberia. 

The most The most significant significant connection connection between between diamonds and diamonds and war is that the war is that the presence of presence of easily extractable easily extractable diamonds diamonds provided an provided an incentive for incentive for violence.violence.

‘‘CONFLICT’ DIAMONDSCONFLICT’ DIAMONDSaka:aka:

‘BLOOD’ DIAMONDS‘BLOOD’ DIAMONDS

• Conflict diamonds are diamonds Conflict diamonds are diamonds mined in a war zone.mined in a war zone.

• The diamonds are sold illegally to The diamonds are sold illegally to finance the war efforts of rebel finance the war efforts of rebel groups.groups.

‘‘Blood DiamondBlood Diamond

Blood Diamonds are often produced Blood Diamonds are often produced through the forced labor of men, through the forced labor of men,

women and children.women and children.

•300,000 children in Africa have 300,000 children in Africa have been forced to become child been forced to become child soldiers and commit horrible crimes soldiers and commit horrible crimes on behalf of rebel groups seeking on behalf of rebel groups seeking to control the diamond mines.to control the diamond mines.

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CHILD SOLDIERSCHILD SOLDIERS