Blood Diamond: Was Your Diamond Originally Red?
“Long sleeve or short sleeve?” Neither climate nor fashion plays into this decision. Rephrased, this question reads as “Would you like your hand or your arm cut off? Because either way, you will lose something.” Due to the split second nature of the question, often it is only the machete who decides.
What would you choose?
Americans can most likely not even imagine the horror of making a decision such as this. We live the majority of our lives quite unaware of the atrocities around the world. Our concerns include the next promotion, a new car, and how to “keep up with the Joneses.” University students and intellectuals have led some of the major societal changes across the globe, but some question if the students truly care about the issues they protest against or whether they solely enjoy the disruption they create.
Blood Diamond, the recent film directed by Edward Zwick and written by Charles Leavitt, strives to awaken American culture to one of the numerous cruelties initiated around the world which we support. Yes, which we support. Through our ignorance of world affairs, we support the organizations which instigate this violence.
In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Danny Archer, a diamond smuggler in the country of Sierra Leone, who attempts to use a man named Solomon Vandy, played by Djimon Hounsou, in order to find the location of a priceless diamond. Vandy found this diamond while working as a captive of the RUF (the Revolutionary United Front). However, not only does the RUF search for this diamond in order to buy military arms, but Archer pursues the location of the gem in order to sell it to the highest bidder in the professional diamond industry, a major player in the conflict, or blood, diamond industry. Watch the trailer here.
Nevertheless, do not be fooled by the trailer, Archer is not necessarily the good guy. In fact, out of all of the sides presented in the movie, there may only be two good guys of the whole lot, Vandy and the American journalist Maddy Bowen, played by Jennifer Connelly. Blood Diamond presents the reality, or rather presents as much of the reality as Hollywood is able to produce, of the conflicts rampaging in Africa over politics and economic resources. No one side is the good guy.
The RUF, who claims to free the people from the oppression of the government, tyrannizes the people, kills innocent families, and intimidates them into submission. Their “signature tactic was amputation of civilians” as Greg Campbell reports in Amnesty Magazine.* The government also dehumanized its people. In the movie, the government would not let Vandy’s family free from the refugee camp due to possible rebels encamped within. Campbell also stated that the government forces “killed civilians suspected of aiding RUF, tortured children suspected of being RUF, and slaughtered hospital patients in their efforts to rid Freetown of rebels.”* While the diamond industry openly denounced conflict diamonds, its executives covertly organized the paperwork in order to buy the diamonds from “reputable sources” in other countries. Bowen recognizes in the film that Sierra Leone testified to miniscule diamond exports in comparison to the rich diamond fields which it possesses, while the neighboring country of Liberia conveyed higher exportation rates than available.
Each of the forces which openly cried for the help and liberation of the people broke their promises and inflicted casualties upon the people simply trying to live their lives within the land of their ancestors. Women are raped and killed, men are enslaved and killed, and children are stolen, brainwashed into soldiers, and killed. While death dominates the fate of most of the people affected by civil war in African countries, children face the most damaging consequences of the war.
The RUF frequently captures children and indoctrinates them into soldiers capable of killing their own villagers and family. “Commanders often cut the children's arms and packed the wounds with cocaine”* in order to produce crazed, cracked out soldiers unable to fully understand the impact of the actions which they viciously performed. These children are scarred for life; most cannot seek any home or help after removed from the army. However, organizations and homes do exist to help them learn how to be human again. Blood Diamond also shows the dear people who devote their lives to re-raising these children. SOS Children's Villages is a real life example of one of the agencies which aids war torn children.
Anytime anything of value has been found in developing countries, civil war has ensued. One of the surviving villagers of an attacked town in Blood Diamond tells Vandy that “It’s good that they have not found any oil, because then they would be in real trouble.” The Middle East suffers from similar strife as plastered upon the news, though Americans have become calloused to the pain which the people of the region bear. A dear friend of mine noted that his family in Iran dealt with the effects of the oil struggle and religious tension which pollute the political and social climate; hence their escape to the United States. American apathy and greed affects more than Sierra Leone, more than Africa and the Middle East, but extends its reach into every country of the world.
As I sat in the movie, I realized that as I was watching this very movie, somewhere in Africa, a woman was being raped by a soldier, a man was attempting to carry on life with only one arm, and a child was shooting down an innocent villager. And I was simply sitting and watching a movie, enjoying the company of a friend, and planning on relaxing the next day at home. I fell into the category of the ignorant American despite my university education and “social awareness” derived from an introductory Sociology course. Had I ever cared if the small diamond in my ring came from a conflict source?
During the middle of the movie, Maddy Bowen, the journalist, begins to write an article about Vandy’s struggle and his reunification with part of his family. Archer teases her about the tear-jerking tale. Bowen retorts angrily that “yes, it might make a few people cry, and maybe one will even write a check, but it is not going to solve anything.”
Perhaps this article will do nothing other than get you to watch the movie Blood Diamond and support Hollywood through ticket sales, but maybe someone might read and begin to do something about it. Change cannot come from one person or a check. It must come from a people; that is, more than one. Therefore, I encourage you to do the following:
1. See the movie Blood Diamond.
2. Read the article referenced in this piece.
3. See the movie Invisible Children also related to the struggles in Africa.
4. Since 65 percent of the world’s diamonds come from African countries,** research Green Diamonds (diamonds from non-conflict sources) and assert that your diamond be Kimberley Certified.
5. Tell others. This may include writing to your congressmen, composing your own blog post, copying this piece onto your own blog or email, or simply conversing with friends.
Do not let this die into the past. Remember what we have come from in order to prevent its propagation in the future. Care.
What would you choose?
Americans can most likely not even imagine the horror of making a decision such as this. We live the majority of our lives quite unaware of the atrocities around the world. Our concerns include the next promotion, a new car, and how to “keep up with the Joneses.” University students and intellectuals have led some of the major societal changes across the globe, but some question if the students truly care about the issues they protest against or whether they solely enjoy the disruption they create.
Blood Diamond, the recent film directed by Edward Zwick and written by Charles Leavitt, strives to awaken American culture to one of the numerous cruelties initiated around the world which we support. Yes, which we support. Through our ignorance of world affairs, we support the organizations which instigate this violence.
In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Danny Archer, a diamond smuggler in the country of Sierra Leone, who attempts to use a man named Solomon Vandy, played by Djimon Hounsou, in order to find the location of a priceless diamond. Vandy found this diamond while working as a captive of the RUF (the Revolutionary United Front). However, not only does the RUF search for this diamond in order to buy military arms, but Archer pursues the location of the gem in order to sell it to the highest bidder in the professional diamond industry, a major player in the conflict, or blood, diamond industry. Watch the trailer here.
Nevertheless, do not be fooled by the trailer, Archer is not necessarily the good guy. In fact, out of all of the sides presented in the movie, there may only be two good guys of the whole lot, Vandy and the American journalist Maddy Bowen, played by Jennifer Connelly. Blood Diamond presents the reality, or rather presents as much of the reality as Hollywood is able to produce, of the conflicts rampaging in Africa over politics and economic resources. No one side is the good guy.
The RUF, who claims to free the people from the oppression of the government, tyrannizes the people, kills innocent families, and intimidates them into submission. Their “signature tactic was amputation of civilians” as Greg Campbell reports in Amnesty Magazine.* The government also dehumanized its people. In the movie, the government would not let Vandy’s family free from the refugee camp due to possible rebels encamped within. Campbell also stated that the government forces “killed civilians suspected of aiding RUF, tortured children suspected of being RUF, and slaughtered hospital patients in their efforts to rid Freetown of rebels.”* While the diamond industry openly denounced conflict diamonds, its executives covertly organized the paperwork in order to buy the diamonds from “reputable sources” in other countries. Bowen recognizes in the film that Sierra Leone testified to miniscule diamond exports in comparison to the rich diamond fields which it possesses, while the neighboring country of Liberia conveyed higher exportation rates than available.
Each of the forces which openly cried for the help and liberation of the people broke their promises and inflicted casualties upon the people simply trying to live their lives within the land of their ancestors. Women are raped and killed, men are enslaved and killed, and children are stolen, brainwashed into soldiers, and killed. While death dominates the fate of most of the people affected by civil war in African countries, children face the most damaging consequences of the war.
The RUF frequently captures children and indoctrinates them into soldiers capable of killing their own villagers and family. “Commanders often cut the children's arms and packed the wounds with cocaine”* in order to produce crazed, cracked out soldiers unable to fully understand the impact of the actions which they viciously performed. These children are scarred for life; most cannot seek any home or help after removed from the army. However, organizations and homes do exist to help them learn how to be human again. Blood Diamond also shows the dear people who devote their lives to re-raising these children. SOS Children's Villages is a real life example of one of the agencies which aids war torn children.
Anytime anything of value has been found in developing countries, civil war has ensued. One of the surviving villagers of an attacked town in Blood Diamond tells Vandy that “It’s good that they have not found any oil, because then they would be in real trouble.” The Middle East suffers from similar strife as plastered upon the news, though Americans have become calloused to the pain which the people of the region bear. A dear friend of mine noted that his family in Iran dealt with the effects of the oil struggle and religious tension which pollute the political and social climate; hence their escape to the United States. American apathy and greed affects more than Sierra Leone, more than Africa and the Middle East, but extends its reach into every country of the world.
As I sat in the movie, I realized that as I was watching this very movie, somewhere in Africa, a woman was being raped by a soldier, a man was attempting to carry on life with only one arm, and a child was shooting down an innocent villager. And I was simply sitting and watching a movie, enjoying the company of a friend, and planning on relaxing the next day at home. I fell into the category of the ignorant American despite my university education and “social awareness” derived from an introductory Sociology course. Had I ever cared if the small diamond in my ring came from a conflict source?
During the middle of the movie, Maddy Bowen, the journalist, begins to write an article about Vandy’s struggle and his reunification with part of his family. Archer teases her about the tear-jerking tale. Bowen retorts angrily that “yes, it might make a few people cry, and maybe one will even write a check, but it is not going to solve anything.”
Perhaps this article will do nothing other than get you to watch the movie Blood Diamond and support Hollywood through ticket sales, but maybe someone might read and begin to do something about it. Change cannot come from one person or a check. It must come from a people; that is, more than one. Therefore, I encourage you to do the following:
1. See the movie Blood Diamond.
2. Read the article referenced in this piece.
3. See the movie Invisible Children also related to the struggles in Africa.
4. Since 65 percent of the world’s diamonds come from African countries,** research Green Diamonds (diamonds from non-conflict sources) and assert that your diamond be Kimberley Certified.
5. Tell others. This may include writing to your congressmen, composing your own blog post, copying this piece onto your own blog or email, or simply conversing with friends.
Do not let this die into the past. Remember what we have come from in order to prevent its propagation in the future. Care.
---
Leave a comment...
posted by bellevoce | 12:39 AM
12 Comments:
Elisabeth,
Thank you for caring so deeply about this topic as well as this movie. I haven't seen the movie so I'm not sure what my reaction would be but I am glad that this movie stirred such a strong reaction in you because I feel like it is a rare experience when a movie can stir someone deeply these days because most movies are just consumed and then not thought about.
Great post. I need to think about this some more before I write anything with confidence. I may make a second appearance on this post in another comment after others have commented.
-Mike
This is ridiculous drivel from the guilty liberals that want to wish away conflict and wars. It ranks up there with "dolphin-free tuna" (can't catch tuna with a net because dolphins get trapped in there), "mammal-free fur" (can't use our furry critter friends as fashion accessories, even though the process created an incentive to breed more critters), "free-range chickens" (have to consider the sensibilities of our feathered fowl friends) in the long list of do-gooders' works to try to stop anything unpleasant.
Like another reviewer put it, "So natural resources cause war? That's like saying banks cause bank robbery. Why don't Dallas and Houston lob missiles at each other over the rights to Texas crude?"
Conflict will exist in the world for many more reasons beyond our control. Demanding a certificate to ensure your diamond was "conflict-free" is akin to Neville Chamberlain proudly presenting his token letter from Hitler that there will be peace when he acquires more territory.
Those African savages are also clever at creating fraudulent documents-- it's the most corrupt continent that emanates schemes. The warlords will find another way to pay for their civil wars; it's not like the Middle East was a peaceful place before oil was needed in our cars in the 1900s. Time and time again will show that countries with the greatest degree of political and economic freedom, liberty, will prosper in the most equitable ways known to man.
Harvesting your hope in "conflict-free diamonds" is short-sighted when it comes to replacing the tyrants and warlords that run Africa with real democratic leaders that can free up the economy and the people there...
Honestly, I doubt the sincerity of these Hollywood activists in undercutting the diamond trade. After all, it was their very actions that caused the precious stone to be the only presentable one for engagements (instead of rubies and other stones).
i really wish that that guy is joking, because that comment is otherwise very much the most ignorant cop-out i have experienced in probably years. with the exception of maybe my fourth graders that say ranting crap like that all the time. to write off the source of the problem as a reason not to participate in solving it is such a lazy way to tell the world to screw itself. this attitude is not simply 'pessimistic', it's unacceptable, inhumane. boo that guy.
oh, and who the hell says 'savages'anymore? like, are you kidding me?
Why don’t you respond to my arguments, Courtney, instead of dismissing them as quickly as you allege that I do? I seek to produce solutions also, and attempt to do more than just cast down bad ideas and obstruct the idea factories, but like I pointed out with dolphin-free tuna, mammal-free fur, and free range-chicken, settling with conflict-free diamonds as the only solution, and the one we're supposed to pressure diamond competitors with, is likely to increase the problems over there.
For instance, take recycling as the pinnacle do-gooder idea of the century. While we can now extract some better use of our materials, the net impact of recycled paper is that fewer trees are planted, and countries that can not afford our humanitarian sensibilities have taken advantage of lower-priced non-recyclables, which has exacerbated the problems with natural resources.
Likewise, the 1970s ban on DDT because of small concerns over wildlife (even though it's clinically safe to digest in humans) consigned millions of Africans to their deaths by malaria, because they lost another tool against the mosquitoes. Ideas that emanate from the civilized nations always come back to malign the Third World that simply can not compete with our high living standards and sensibilities.
The diamond market is controlled by a very small network of companies, but mainly DeBeers. DeBeers, in rolling out these conflict-free diamonds, is playing our high-fallutin' and perhaps naive good intentions and, by extension, lumping all conflict-certified diamond-holders as morally inferior. They have a business interest in rooting out companies that can offer diamonds at lower prices, and are pitching to our guilt vulnerability to tie these indirect causes to our desire for cheaper diamonds.
DeBeers has also been known for creating this myth of diamond "scarcity" to inflate prices, while many diamonds are stored in vaults to trigger the price upwards. In 2004, they paid a $10 million settlement for price-fixing so they can continue to do business in America. Take a look at this article (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1293073/posts) to see some of their other clever tricks, especially in suppressing artificial diamond-making processes. If DeBeers was all that humanitarian, they'd stop mining altogether and produce synthetic diamonds (or cubric zarconia). Instead, they play on your innocence and well wishes to stomp out competition.
Say that everybody follows through and purchases conflict-free diamonds; the warlords won't be wished away, they run countries like Sierra Leone. The loss of this capital will only mean that African miners will seek other forms of employment, as their livelihood depends on our penchant for luxury items. Remember, these are the same traders that sold their very brothers into slavery (and it still exists there); there's no bottom to exploitation in Africa. Instead of productively harvesting jewels, these miners will have to seek another trade. Our high-minded boycott won't improve conditions there; these same common folks will be forced out of livelihoods and jobs.
The major problems in Africa are not related to our diamond desires, but a culture that rewards corrupt leaders (that pocket billions in foreign aid for their cronies), terrorist actions (bombing oil pipelines, massacring Christians in the Sudan), and regional/tribal strife that will never be stabilized merely by our consumer choices.
My stance comes not out of a cop-out, but a realization that settling on an ineffective solution does more harm than intended. My conscience is stricken by devastating warfare in Africa, but my solution (already shown in the first post) is to liberalize the political and economic freedom, especially the rule of law, in those countries. Take a look and research Freedom House's map of freedom (http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=15&year=2006) and tell me in the morning whether you see any other correlations that cause so much harm to the African people.
Darren,
This "ridiculous drivel" actually happened. You can travel to Sierra Leone and see the people, economy, and land that has been damaged due to greed. Seeing this movie only sparked my response that had been building with years. I remember listening to a speaker who came ot my high school address this issue and the pain of having to watch innocent women and children lose their arms and lives.
You are true that DeBeers has developed the concept of the rarity of the diamond and in reality, it may not be that rare. However, while DeBeers can be blamed with inflation of the problem, we as Americans can be blamed with falling into the campaign through mindless support of the industry. Yes, ensuring that your diamond is conflict-free will not solve the problem, but it will help. But more than one person needs to step up. Perhaps a complete boycott of the industry needs to play out, but that will take massive awareness, one reason why we need to get these issues out there.
Just as buying one conflict-free diamond will not solve the problem, so also one blog post will not solve the problem, nor one movie. Yet, each of these small steps does get us closer to finding a solution and beginning to act.
I encourage you to watch the movie, because it addresses many of the issues you raised as well, including diamond inflation, "do-gooders," fraudulent documents, and other issues not addressed in your responses as well.
Phew! This discussion is certainly moving well beyond the extent of my knowledge.
I must say though, I find the need for a movie pointing out these problems to be disgusting. I felt this way after "Lord of War" came out. Everybody was suddenly noticing bad things are happening in Africa. I was busy wondering how everyone missed out on the last few thousand years.
As far as diamonds in particular, I dunno. Having a (slight) knowledge of the existing situation, I had tarted wondering what I would do when I go buy a girl a ring.
And yes, this issue goes much deeper than diamonds. No, fixing our consumeristic greed won't fix the problems in Africa. But doing so will ensure that we aren't (currently) directly supporting these ills. It's like how abolising slavery in our nation didn't end these problems in Africa. But at least we weren't the ones maotivating them to capture and sell each other...
Unfortunately in such a case as this, I am inclined to disagree with all parties, especially Courtney (who the hell says "like, are you kidding me?" anymore?)
Darin I disagree with the notion that this is "ridiculous drivel" and it seems to me as if you believe that Elisabeth's blog is futile in its desired affect. But I may ask you, how often do you see individuals our age actually care about topics as the one at hand? It seems to me as if you believe her writing is negligible based on its lack of notoriety or publication. But do not all brilliant revelations in our society emanate from a simple idea construed by an individual? And do these ideas not later shape and develop into potentially revolutionary actions and occurences?
But you are right about one thing Darin; I also find it hard to believe that hollywood is truly attempting to undercut the diamond industry. Hollywood feeds of our collective insecurities and profits off our consumption of the remedies to our social "ailments".
Darin, your lofty ideals of changing the world in one fell swoop are unrealistic. And I am curious as to the following: if you were a permanent resident of sierra leone and you had to live with the adversity faced by millions of others, would you still believe that Elisabeth's attempt to understand, discuss, and proactively imrpove the overwhelming oprression and injustice in that nation to be mere "ridiculous drivel" from her "guilty liberal" sentiment?
By the way Darin, she is a conservative.
-K.N.
On a completely unrelated note, I had a great deal of fun swing dancing with you. Thnka you for dancing with me!
To Bella: You just made my myspace. I'm researching the movie Blood Diamond for my Current Issues class. We also had the guy who filmed Invisable Children come to our school.
Anybody who's fighting on the comments on this blog is extremely stupid in my eyes. Stop with the liberal and conservative bullshit, I doubt anybody, especially the people dying because of the diamonds, really give a shit what you think. I like the FACTS I'm researching currently. Thanks, I'll pass on your opinions. Oh and go ahead and comment on my comment like your doing to one another, because I have no intention on comming back to see. I have better things to do.
Please work to gain more maturity than a sixteen-year-old. Until then, go e-mail each other, because nobody else cares.
Interesting...in a way. I myself however have taken a different point of view on these (plural due to multiple civil wars in Africa) issues. My friends and family jokingly call me an Uber Republican, I'm actually not that uber, I do however on most occasions take the side of the government, these being one of them.
These civil wars occuring, are occuring for more than just the sale of diamonds to buy guns (in the case of the RUF) (and I know that you know this fact). In countries in Africa (as I'm sure your aware) even very young children, down to five years old are being recruited into the so called, "freedom forces" to save their people from the harsh tyrany of the government. {fade to a black and white WW2 or Korean war era recruitment trailer}. You know the ones I am talking about, where a deep voiced man talks about raising strong American boys to fight the war on communism.
It's really a toss-up though. I do agree with the governments decision about the family. I watched the film, so I do know what I'm talking about, because Nowadays, even outside of war, how do you really know who is standing next to you? But I also have to look at the RUF's side of things...not the easiest thing to do unbaisedly. When your training five year olds to become killing machines with no actual conscience guiding them, you don't have much of a platform in a campain.
All this to say: Why worry about it? Why waste your life worrying whether your friend (and I put this lightly based on the comments) Darin is right, or whether Courtney is right? Why consume yourself with trying to help people half a world away, when there are so many people half a block away that need your help. You may not agree with that, but then take this into consideration: did you know that there are more slaves in the US today, then at the peek of the slave trade? It's called human traffiking (yes spelled with a 'K') and most often not used for manuel labor, although with the immagration problem I think that may change, most are used as prostitutes, drug smugglers, and arm smugglers. These people live right next to your perfect families house, where your father cooks ribeyes in the backyard and your mother sweeps the floors, where your brother plays with the dogs in the green grass of the backyard. (to picture the 'typical' American family).
Well that went on long enough haha. Thanks for reading, I hope it at least made you think.
Anonymous,
haha, I love your humor. We laugh along the same lines.
Why do I care? Because the people halfway across the globe need help as much as the ones next door. I think you bring up a VERY important point, that horrible situations such as these can occur in our own "perfect" world. With this sort of logic, people in Los Angeles deserve our help more than the people in San Francisco.
Just because there is human traffiking in the US does not mean that we should forget the rest of the world who we have screwed over as well. And I don't mean marching in and taking over, but presenting holistic, sustainable options to a people in need.
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