Conflict Diamonds

 

What are conflict diamonds you may ask. The short answer is "Blood Diamonds". The long answer is way more complicated because of the circumstances surrounding its acquisition. The term - conflict diamonds - is predominantly used to highlight the negative ramifications of the diamond trade in areas where it's mined and sold to finance an insurgency. Wars funded by warlords from the sale of these diamond. 

Thousands of lives are lost in Africa through conflict diamonds.  Blood diamonds more often than not originate from areas controlled by factions opposed to legitimate governments that are recognized internationally. Countries like Sierra Leone, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia are prime examples of countries ravaged by the trade in conflict diamonds resulting in the displacement and death of millions of people -normally mostly innocent.

It is very unfortunate that 65% of global diamond production is sourced from Africa but less than 10% of its value is returned for upliftment of its people. Case in point -  the Jwaneng Diamond diamond mine in Botswana is the riches diamond mine in the world, producing in excess of 12 million carats annually but it Botswana remains a third world country with minimal growth and investment.

This is because the  Botswana's government Debswana sells 75% of its diamond output to Anglo American / De Beers with only 25% taken up by the state-owned Okavango Diamond Company. 

The  "Lesedi La Rona" — which means "Our Light" in the Tswana - official language  Botswana- was valued at $70 million.

  

The history of the diamond industry has been fraught with worker exploitation, environmental destruction, government corruption and squandering of revenues. And that's not even mentioning all the "blood diamonds" used to pay for civil wars in countries ranging from Sierra Leone to the Democratic Republic of Congo.