Blood Diamonds in Africa
The information behind this issue.
Background and the cause of the conflict:
Blood diamonds are diamonds mined in a warzone and used to fund the warring armies. Most diamonds are sold to more rich and less impoverished countries (i.e U.SA.) to fund these wars. This process began in Angola and Sierra Leone with their civil wars and their booming diamond industry. The need of funds for the government and their military results in the sale of the most abundant and available resource at the highest possible profit margin.
Child Labor
Children mining for diamonds
Men panning for diamonds
These men pan for diamonds for up to 16 hours a day
Art
This photo shows a bloody diamond and crown, showing that ultimately a tyrant leads this process.
The countries involved and why
The main countries involved in this conflict are, The Central African Republi, Sierra Leone, Cote Divoire, and The Republic of Congo. These Countries had conflicts and needed a way to fund these conflicts.
This map shows some of the countries involved in this illegal trade.
The problem, what has been done, and what is being done to fix it.
The countries involved in this conflict have been criticized by the UN and blocked from trade. They have even been taken out of the Kimberly process. Executive Orders prohibiting the trade of these diamonds and the CDTA (Clean Diamond Trade Act) have been issued to eliminate the trade of blood diamonds.