New report alleges blood still stains diamonds

[seemslikeadream]

Source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)

Date: 10 Mar 2005

LUANDA, 10 March (IRIN) - Angola's diamond industry is beset by murders, beatings, arbitrary detentions and other human rights violations, alleges a new report, and the international community should boycott these gems.

'Angola's Deadly Diamonds', produced by human rights activists who recorded the abuses in the diamond-rich provinces of Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul throughout 2004, said such violations against both Angolans and foreigners had become the norm.

...

The Kimberley Process seeks to end the trade in illegal 'blood' diamonds through an international certification system.

Arguing that Angola's diamonds were still tainted, despite the end of the 27-year civil conflict in 2002, the document urged foreign countries to impose sanctions against trading in Angolan gems until such time as "the Angolan state guarantees labour and social standards compatible with the human rights values of the UN system."

The head of the UN human rights agency (UNHCHR) in Angola, Wegard Bye, said the UN could not corroborate the "extremely serious" allegations contained in the report but, following media reports of alleged abuses, the Resident Coordinator of the UN system in Angola had already expressed his concern and offered the organisation's support to any parliamentary enquiry into the matter.

COSTLY SMUGGLING

Angolan officials believed the state was losing as much as $375 million in revenue every year because of diamond smuggling. In December 2003 the government launched "Operation Brilliant", a plan to arrest and expel those found illegally mining the gems - so far more than 250,000 miners and smugglers, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo and West African countries, have been deported.

...

Scores of allegations of murder, torture and sexual assault are detailed in the report. "In all of these cases, the perpetrators were Angolan police, or the employees of the private security companies employed by the large diamond concessionaires," Marques and Campos said.

more
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/DDAD-6ACNZH?OpenDocument

[elehhhhna]

1. Diamonds are dirty.

I sold my good one a few months ago.

[Straight Shooter]

2. Diamonds are highly overrated and are market manipulated

Give me emeralds, any day, as far as worth.

Also, laboratory-created stones are just as beautiful and will fool anyone's eye these days. Why bother with stones that are "genuine" simply because someone has suffered to get them to the market while someone else reaps a huge profit?

[rockedthevoteinMA]

3. PBS had a special on a few months ago about blood diamonds

and it broke my heart to watch - knowing that the only reason why these people risk their lives is for rich women to walk around with a rock on their finger. :(

[beam me up scottie]

4. Ditto.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the world to stop buying them though, they still buy ivory and wear fur.
Apparently the only thing too dear to own is a conscience.

[Mnemosyne]

5. Amen.

When I was married I had a pearl instead, couldn't bear the thought of a diamond, too much sorrow in them.

So glad others feel like this also.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. There really not much more

then over rated hunks of coal anyway.

[merwin]

7. That's ALL they are.

[beam me up scottie]

10. Thank you.

Everyone I know thinks I'm crazy for advocating the boycott of diamonds.
There may be hope for us yet.

[VegasWolf]

8. Republicans like bright shiny stones. n/t

[BiggJawn]

9. Whya are Diamonds so valuable?

Because DeBeers says they are.

"An Engagement ring should cost 3 month's salary..."
"Now here's a lovely little ring, only $43,000...."

"Uh, I thought the rule was 3 MONTHS, not 3 YEARS?"

"Hey, it's a valuable investment, and besides, you only get married once..."

S'Yeah, right......