Monday, December 14, 2009

Diamond Curse Or Just Another Inhumane Human Act

Diamond - Diamond is forever or forever living in curse.

This history chapter relates how the illicit trading of the precious stone in return of weapons has fueled the civil wars in West African country like Sierra Leone.
The country was disintegrated by civil wars in the 1990s.
The chaotic war which was funded by diamond money has killed and taken more than 75,000 innocent civilians lives and displaced at least 2,000,000 more citizens.

The trauma is still visible and draining - Physically and emotionally.

Ibrahim, who lives in a village in Sierra Leone, was brought to another village for not surrendering the diamond that he did not possess to a fully uniformed combat soldier.
There, he was placed in a house where everybody inside were bound. He was bound too, with 4 others.

When he refused to surrender his arms upon asked to do so, all over his body was badly beaten with gun. Then, both his hands were placed on a mortar, chopped off.
His crime? Meddling in politics - by casting his vote.

He was left to die on the street.

Defying all odds, he escaped the barbaric death.
Upon returning to his house, the house was deliberately set on fire with his wife and children inside, left to die.
They died in front of his very eyes.
Much as he wanted to help them, he was unable to do so. He had arms that cannot be used now.

At least 10,000 innocent civilians suffered the same fate as him.
Some had their hands and legs chopped off for meddling in politics - by casting their votes.

What good has the natural resource brought to the country of Sierra Leone?

Negative effects of greed, killings, chaos, trauma, misery, death...
The country with abundance of world's precious stone, tend to be the worst place for a decent living.

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