A Diamond Grave

Julie Daseking

Ms. Tompkins

World Lit Honors 1

3/12/15

A Diamond Grave

Diamonds are the purest form of carbon in the world, and one of the most precious and beautiful gems. However, in Sierra Leone, Africa, diamonds are stained with memories of physical abuse, robbery, political struggle, and economic hardship. From 1991 to 2002, Sierra Leone was plunged into a Civil War over control of the diamond industry. In 1935, the diamond business boomed when De Beers Mining Co. took over mining control in Sierra Leone, however the government did not set up sufficient security. Consequently, this allowed for thousands of illicit miners to steal profit from the country’s economy by smuggling diamonds in uncontrolled areas. As the illegal smuggling grew, the government became less involved, until the election of Siaka Stevens in 1968. The conflict began after he linked political power to control of the mines, and the corruption led a group of fighters called the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) to invade the country. The Blood Diamond Civil War robbed Sierra Leone of millions of dollars in profit from diamonds and harmed the population. The economy and the people of Sierra Leone are still struggling to make up for its losses today.

The violence of the Civil War greatly affected the civilian population, and left many physically and emotionally scarred. The Economist states that, “In the 1990s, the drugged-up rebels of the Revolutionary United Front controlled Kono's mines by means of rape, murder and mutilation” (Economist). The RUF fighters abducted and raped thousands of women and girls in an attempt to “...terrorize the civilian population into submission and break-apart families and communities” (Stanford University). Many women and girls suffer from STDS, post traumatic stress disorder, and severe anxiety as a result from their brutal treatment at the hands of RUF during the Civil War. Teams of rebels also mutilated many civilians in order to assert power over the population. They often, “...cut off both the victims’ hands... thousands of surviving amputees in Sierra Leone were forced into refugee camps...they are left futureless as a result of their needless amputations” (Stanford). These crimes “...claimed over 75,000 lives, caused 500,000 Sierra Leoneans to become refugees, and displaced half of the countries 4.5 million people.” The war left the population in ruins, and made it more difficult for the country to rebuild with fewer capable of working due to mutilations and deaths.

The Blood Diamond conflict also had detrimental effects on the economic situation in Sierra Leone. The rebels and illicit smugglers, “cheated [Sierra Leone] out of millions of dollars in the form of illegal diamonds” (Stanford). As the diamond mines were the country’s main source of income at the time, the loss of this profit caused the economy to plummet, and forced Sierra Leone to rely “on external assistance to meet its budgetary needs; overseas grants make up one-fourth of total revenue” (CIA). Despite the lost profit to illegal smuggling, the price of diamonds has also dropped considerably, making it a more difficult industry to profit from, let alone rely on. Since 2009, mining companies like De Beers have, “...seen the value of [their] "sights"...fall from an average of $650m to a recent low of around $150m” (Economist). With the lessening of exports, many companies are laying off workers, "...Koidu Holdings temporarily halted operations and laid off 540 people, leaving only 60 in work...” (Economist). However, despite these economic struggles, the country is looking to new industries. The Economist states that, “Many artisanal miners are going back to farming...And companies are looking for other minerals that Sierra Leone has in abundance” (Economist). The Civil War took a heavy toll on the economy, but Sierra Leone is slowly rebuilding and stabilizing financially.

The costs of the Blood Diamond Civil War are still felt today, as the nation struggles to rebuild the population and support itself economically while still battling remaining rebels, and new problems like Ebola and HIV/AIDS. The money lost in illegal diamonds and the costs of combating and cleaning up after the rebels greatly set back Sierra Leone’s economy. The country has since struggled to rebuild itself, as thousands of displaced and injured citizens left the country with a smaller, weaker workforce, and the diamond industry plummeted. However, the country has now returned to its agricultural industry to be “the bedrock of [the] nation's growth and development” (Africa News Service). Although, many citizens are still only farming for subsistence, not profit. Sierra Leone is slowly beginning to recover from the war, but new threats such as the Ebola and HIV/AIDS crises threaten the weak country. The Blood Diamond Civil War stained the nation, and its consequences continue to prevent Sierra Leone from thriving today.

Works Cited

"Agriculture & Poverty Alleviation in Sierra Leone (1) [column].(Column)." Global Issues in Context. Gale Cengage Learning, 3 Sept. 2012. Web. This article elaborates on the agricultural industry in Sierra Leone, Africa, and the how there can be alleviation of poverty by improving this industry. This article was written more objectively, with lots of statistics to show the progress agriculture has made, and how it is helping the country. This source relates to the other GIC article, which also talks about how the people of Sierra Leone are turning to agriculture for production. I may be able to use this article in my writing to show how the agriculture business is helping Sierra Leone rebuild.

"Digging in the Dumps; Sierra Leone and Its Diamonds.(Diamonds, Poverty and Africa)." Global Issues in Context. Gale Cengage Learning, 30 May 2009. Web. This article summarizes the current political, economic, and social situation of Sierra Leone. It explains some of the events of the Civil War, and how it is still affecting Sierra Leone today. It also talks about the current issues of Ebola and HIV/AIDS. This piece was written objectively to inform the reader about the country. It touches on the Blood Diamond conflict, which my other sources also cover. I can use this source to outline effects of the Civil War, and the current situation in Sierra Leone.

Johnson, Eric. "Blood Diamonds." Blood Diamonds. Stanford University, 6 Dec. 2002. Web. This source was written to inform the reader of the history, events, effects, and costs of the Blood Diamond Civil War in Sierra Leone. It outlines the history of the conflict in detail, and specific examples of what the conflict did to the nation. It was written by a University to inform the reader about a world event. I can use this source to provide the history of my topic, and specific statistics and facts about the results of the war.

"Sierra Leone." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. This source was created to present the viewer with current facts and statistics about the economic, political, and social situations in Sierra Leone. It was written objectively by a government agency. I may be able to use this source for statistics to bolster my claim that the economy of Sierra Leone is suffering financially.

"Sierra Leone." Global Issues in Context. Gale Cengage Learning, 2015. Web. This article was written to teach the reader about the past and present situation of the diamond industry in Sierra Leone, as well as the Civil War. It provides information on diamond market activity, and explains why the economy in Sierra Leone is still so unstable. The source was written by a well-known magazine to inform its readers about the economy in Sierra Leone. I can use this source to bolster my claims about the effects of the Blood Diamond Civil War on the population, and the economic situation in Sierra Leone.