Blood Diamonds in

ZimbabweBy Antonette Puleo

And Rasheed Haddad

http://www.sydafrika.dk/files/images/17mcneil_CA0.600.jpg

• Zimbabwe is still doing human rights abuses, exploitation, and slavery in the diamond industry.(http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/zimbabwe_still_exporting_blood_diamonds )

http://nimg.sulekha.com/Business/original700/zimbabwe-diamonds-2009-7-5-8-20-

The Kimberley process…

• …Is a group of governments, diamond industry representatives, and civil society stakeholders that is created to send diamonds from the African countries to the global markets.

• These diamonds are mainly used to finance wars for rebels against governments

• Diamond industry has been notorious for exploitation and slavery mainly children

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http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/zimbabwe_still_exporting_blood_diamonds

• The Zimbabwe eastern diamond fields The Zimbabwe eastern diamond fields are some of the many areas that are are some of the many areas that are being questioned by the Kimberley being questioned by the Kimberley process. They are accused of killing process. They are accused of killing many of their diamond diggers in that many of their diamond diggers in that area so they can take the dead diggers area so they can take the dead diggers recovered gems in their own pocketsrecovered gems in their own pockets .(.(

http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/zimbabwe_still_exporting_blood_diamonds )) http://www.inthenews.co.uk/photo/calls-grow-for-zimbabwean-blood-diamond-ban-$7020162$300.jpg

• The world diamond council that regulates diamond trade has named The world diamond council that regulates diamond trade has named Zimbabwe as not having a safe non-conflict diamond mining. Zimbabwe as not having a safe non-conflict diamond mining. ((http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/zimbabwe_still_exporting_blood_diamonds))

• Zimbabwe doesn’t have enough regulations to prevent abuse in the Zimbabwe doesn’t have enough regulations to prevent abuse in the diamond industry. diamond industry. ((http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/zimbabwe_still_exporting_blood_diamonds))

• The Kimberly process wants to suspend the diamond flow from The Kimberly process wants to suspend the diamond flow from Zimbabwe for 6 months so they can have enough time to make Zimbabwe for 6 months so they can have enough time to make regulations to prevent these events from happening. regulations to prevent these events from happening. ((http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/zimbabwe_still_exporting_blood_diamonds))

• It will make a huge negative impact in the diamond industry in It will make a huge negative impact in the diamond industry in Zimbabwe but that is what they need to do.Zimbabwe but that is what they need to do.((http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/zimbabwe_still_exporting_blood_diamonds))

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• Most of the money that is being used in the Most of the money that is being used in the civil wars in Africa are coming from civil wars in Africa are coming from diamonds. Diamonds are a extremely high diamonds. Diamonds are a extremely high form of wealth. Al Qaeda is using these gems form of wealth. Al Qaeda is using these gems to make money to buy weapons. It is said to make money to buy weapons. It is said that Al Qaeda made over 20 million by that Al Qaeda made over 20 million by purchasing these diamonds. Most of the purchasing these diamonds. Most of the mining for diamonds are done by the RUF mining for diamonds are done by the RUF rebels. rebels. ((http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2775763.stm )

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• The Zimbabwean government is seeking profit The Zimbabwean government is seeking profit from the new diamond field they have found. from the new diamond field they have found. While this is going on the local people are trying While this is going on the local people are trying to take the diamonds for themselves to survive in to take the diamonds for themselves to survive in this poor country. this poor country. ((

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/africa/zimbabwes+diamond+trade+under+strain/536062)) • The government is saying that it is a illegal trade The government is saying that it is a illegal trade

and that it cost 400 million dollars in the central and that it cost 400 million dollars in the central bank. The government arrested 1600 people in bank. The government arrested 1600 people in December. December.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/03/24/world/25diamond.slarge1.jpg

• It is said that people are being killed like flies It is said that people are being killed like flies in these diamond fields. The worst abuses in these diamond fields. The worst abuses were during October and November in 2008. were during October and November in 2008. Soldiers came and put a machine gun on the Soldiers came and put a machine gun on the field and shot all the miners down, some field and shot all the miners down, some buried under ground.5000 arrested and buried under ground.5000 arrested and beaten beaten http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529174,00.html

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Bibilography • Kloer, Amanda. "Zimbabwe Still Exporting Blood Diamonds |." End Human Trafficking |

Change.org. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/zimbabwe_still_exporting_blood_diamonds>.

Jones, Lucy. "BBC NEWS | Africa | Al-Qaeda 'traded blood diamonds'" BBC NEWS | News Front Page. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2775763.stm>.

Zulu, Blessing. "World Diamond Council Probes Zimbabwe's Conflict Diamond Trade." VOA News - Voice of America - English News Homepage. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-05/2007-05-23-voa63.cfm>. Channel 4 NEws. "Zimbabwe's diamond trade under strain - News." Channel 4. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/africa/zimbabwes+diamond+trade+under+strain Roger, Douglas. "Murders at Zimbabwe Diamond Mine Undercut Claims of Normalization - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com." Breaking News | Latest News | Current News - FOXNews.com. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529174,00.html>.