Blood Diamonds, also known as “Conflict Diamonds” are diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments. They are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments that has resulted in over 4 million deaths and the displacement of millions of people in Angola, Sierra Leone, the DRC, Liberia, and Ivory Coast. Diamonds played a key role in obtaining funds to provide combatants with food, clothing, transportation, and most significantly, weapons.

Blood Diamonds are produced through the forced slave labor of men, women and children and both government and rebel soldiers committed atrocities and used brutality such as rape and amputations as a way to coerce and terrorize the countryside.
They are also stolen during shipment or seized by attacking the mining operations of legitimate producers. These attacks can be on the scale of a large military operation.
The stones are then smuggled into the international diamond trade and sold as legitimate gems.

These diamonds are often the main source of funding for the rebels, however, arms merchants, smugglers and dishonest diamond traders enable their actions. Enormous amounts of money are at stake and bribes, threats, torture, and murder are modes of operation. This is why the term “blood diamonds” is used.

This would be a good enough reason for the author, Greg Campbell, of “Blood Diamonds” to expose what is really happening. Campbell took me on a journey of mayhem that most Americans probably don’t even know exist. To shed light on the topic he allowed refugees to tell their stories so that I could get an in depth look at the destruction of what greed did to the African Nation and its people. The material was graphic in nature and difficult at times to think that human beings could treat others in such a horrific an ungodly manner. The material coincides with what we have learned about this semester.

While reading the book I could sense the hurt, torture an pain that these individuals have suffered at the hands of not only the rebels but, that of family members selling out their brothers and sisters. It brought new meaning to the term greed and that it wasn’t just about having the basic things in life food, clothing, and shelter but dehumanizing the African people and stripping them of their dignity and culture. He exposed the hidden shames of the RUF, DeBeers, child soldiers, and the innocent people of Africa. I began to wonder through out my reading of the book how did things get so out of hand, and how did something that was no more appealing than a rock on the side of the road literally tear a Nation to shreds? The only two things that kept coming to mind were greed and immorality. Greed is all about self gratification an wanting more, an more, an more stuff an the immorality goes right along with it and we don’t treat people like human beings anymore they become expendable. This book captured the definition of “Slavery” from unfair wages, to rape and murder. I would recommend this book for future class readings and to anyone that wants a first hand look into the eyes of the evilness of the world. I will re-think my future diamonds purchases and if I do decide to purchase any will research the history of the gem before I purchase it. I can also make changes in my everyday purchases in hopes that one day my small changes will make a big difference.

Thanks to the author I now have a new meaning to the term “diamonds are a girls best friend” and Africa’s most evil adversary.

Work Cited
Campbell,Greg: Blood Diamonds Westview Press, 2002.