| Sierra Leone Diamond History | | | | All this was unknown to - or perhaps ignored by - |
| Sierra Leone diamonds are well-known among the | | | | the outside world for many years. UN studies |
| jewelry world to be one of the best quality | | | | estimate that about $125 million worth of rough |
| diamonds available today. This is perhaps the main | | | | diamonds were bought by the diamond industry in |
| reason that blood diamonds have wreaked the | | | | Europe alone! Imagine this much money being |
| havoc they have had over so many years. The | | | | used by the RUF to fund their grotesque activities |
| first diamond was found in Sierra Leone in the | | | | in Sierra Leone. The equivalent of this money is |
| 1930s. Since then, a story of brutality and violence | | | | tens of thousands of people killed and even more |
| has unfolded in this small West African country. In | | | | hurt. |
| 1968, Siaka Stevens became the prime minister | | | | It was only in 1999 that the UN deployed a |
| of Sierra Leone. Recognizing the value of their | | | | mission to Sierra Leone to deal with the problem |
| diamonds, he made a large profit out of illegal | | | | of Sierra Leone Conflcit Diamonds. Since then, |
| diamond mining and trading. In the ensuing years, | | | | sanctions have been put in place so as to curb |
| more and more diamonds were being exported | | | | such illegal activities. The Kimberly Process |
| illegally rather than through legal means. Most of | | | | Certification Scheme requires a paper trail that |
| these transactions were overseen by Stevens'' | | | | certifies the origin of rough diamonds. This aims to |
| right hand man Jamil Mohammed, a Lebanese. | | | | cut off the flow of diamonds from countries like |
| Sierra Leone blood diamonds | | | | Sierra Leone. |
| In 1991, Sierra Leone was thrown into more | | | | The question that remains to be answered today |
| trouble as the rebel group Revolutionary United | | | | is whether the paper trail that accompanies each |
| Front (RUF) launched assaults against the | | | | diamond shipment is for real. Certificates can be |
| government. A military government was set up | | | | forged. |
| yet proved to be ineffective against the RUF's | | | | Rough diamonds can be smuggled into a |
| attacks. From the very beginning, the RUF found | | | | "clean" country. After that, there |
| an ally in neighboring Liberia. Their goal was | | | | would be no way of knowing where the gems |
| officially to combat crime and corruption but it | | | | came from. There is always a willing market |
| soon became clear that their main aim was to | | | | somewhere in another country. Traders and |
| take control of the diamond mines. | | | | buyers don't always ask questions. They are just |
| Preying on civilians, the RUF would take prisoners | | | | happy to buy and line their pockets. In an area |
| and enslave them to work in the diamond mines. | | | | rife with suffering and poverty, there is always an |
| This was no fun thing for the civilians as their | | | | official who would be willing to accept bribes. All it |
| work conditions were horrible and they were | | | | takes is one person to overlook a shipment of |
| punished for the slightest things. Anyone opposed | | | | blood diamonds. For all we know, there might still |
| to the RUF's methods and practices would be | | | | be a steady flow of rough conflict diamonds |
| brutally punished. Amputation was not an | | | | coming from the mines of Sierra Leone today. |
| uncommon occurrence. | | | | |