The Impact of Getting Diamonds in Africa

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Behind the love story of a diamond engagement ring purchased at a jewelry store in a United States mall, might be a story of child labor, violence, and corruption. Approximately, 65% of the world’s diamonds (about $8.5 billion worth) come from Africa (Diamondfacts 1). As pinpointed in the map below, Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Ivory Coast, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are the main countries where conflict diamonds have originated (Blood 1). Of those diamonds, it was estimated that in 1990, 15% of these diamonds were conflict diamonds (Diamond 1). Conflict diamonds, or blood diamonds, gain their namesake because they originate from areas violently controlled by armed rebel groups. Fierce fighting is part of the process to control diamond-producing areas. The fought-over diamonds are then sold to international diamond dealers, giving the rebels profit to fuel brutal wars in Africa to fund rebel/military weapons. In 2003, the government-run Kimberly Process, named for a city in Africa, was launched to stop the trade of conflict diamonds, but had limited success in preventing villagers from working the mines (Kimberley 1). It is obvious that conflict diamonds cannot be stopped because African villagers are desperate for money, the Kimberley Process is concerned with stopping diamond trade but it does not attempt to curtail abuse in diamond mining, and most diamonds are small and untraceable so they are easy to smuggle. In 2010, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that 239 million people in Africa were under nourished and hungry (Africa 1). Poverty is the predominant cause of hunger and is extensive throughout Africa. So much so, that the citizens of impoverished areas have no... ... middle of paper ... ...tistic Brain RSS. World Bank, United Nations, Kimberly Process, 28 Apr. 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. "Diamondfacts.org." Diamond Facts. Alessandro Bertoni & MDBC, Web. 06 Mar. 2014. Hoyt, Alia. "How the African Diamond Trade Works." HowStuffWorks. A Discovery Company, Web. 20 Mar. 2014. "Kimberley Process (Diamond Certification)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 June 2012. Web. 21 Mar. 2014. "Our Beyond Conflict Free Diamond Guarantee." Brilliant Earth. Brilliant Earth, Inc, Web. 06 Mar. 2014. Palmer, Brian. "How Many Diamonds Can Fit in a Human Stomach?" Slate Magazine. The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company, 15 Nov. 2012. Web.23 Mar. 2014. "Violence." Brilliant Earth. Brilliant Earth, Inc., 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. Walt, Vivienne. "Diamonds Aren't Forever." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 07 Dec. 2006. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.

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