INTRO
Since the Portugese left Angola in 1975, there's been no peace in the country. The civil war between government troops and UNITA has left the country devestated. UNITA didn't recognise the result of the elections in 1992 - and so the conflict goes on. Neither side find it difficult to buy weapons. They're paid for in diamonds - the wealth of Angola. The country could be one of the most prosperous in Africa. It owns the most precious gem, but everyone is helping themselves to this fortune.The government loses at least 30 million US dollars a month through the illegal diamond trade. The diamond diggers are protected sometimes by the army or police - everyone wants to cream something off this profitable trade. Marion Mayer-Hodahl visits a dangerous illegal diamond digging area.
report: Marion Mayer-Hohdahl
camera: John Liebenberg
cut: Herman Theron
MUSIC: Diamonds are Forever
TEXT
01:00
Pictures begin
Diamonds are Forever - Diamonds for all eternity - so goes the world famous advertisment of the Diamond business of De Beers. A woman's heart beats faster. Every stone is cut to increase the value of the original diamond. But most people don't know where these gems come from.
Here in the north east of Angola hundreds of thousands of people are illegally digging for diamonds. They're called Garimpeiros and they search for the glittering stones under extremely risky conditions. Bandits control the area and the roads are mined. The decade long civil war has left many parts of the country ruled by the laws of the wild west. The only thing here is diamonds.
01.33
Original sound
Illegal diamond digger
It depends on the soil. Sometimes I find between 18-30 diamonds and sometimes I leave here with empty hands.
Usually four to six men dig together. Afterwards they share their haul of diamonds. The guards cream off a piece of the action as well. Often they're soldiers trying to supplement their meagre pay. The Garimpeiros work in the water for hours, sieving gravel. But patience pays off. In the midst of other stones one special stone is found: a diamond.
At the end of the day the illegal diamond diggers head towards Lucapa.
The village is cut off from the rest of the world. Everything is flown in. The diamond traders operate from here. The trade is firmly in the hands of the West Africans and Lebanese. They either sell the stones to the three official buying offices in the village, or they smuggle them out of the country. This trader didn't want his face shown.
02.28
Original sound
Illegal diamond trader
I've got 80 people working in the bush. They dig for diamonds and bring them here to me. They don't know the value of the stones. Sometimes I earn two to three thousand dollars a day.
02.49 Question
Isn't it dangerous?
02.51
Original sound
Illegal diamond trader
It's dangerous. It's a very risky business. I often have to bargin for my life. It's a bit like being in a war here.
Because of the risks the trader hides the diamonds on his body. He's been buying and selling diamonds for five years. He always keeps 200 dollars in his pocket to bribe his way out of any tight spot. As a West African in Angola he isn't particularly liked. According to official estimates the illegal diamond trade is worth 30 million US dollars a month. It's probably worth a lot more. This handler has already sold over 100 diamonds this morning.
The De Beers diamond cartel, the biggest player in the world diamond market, is keen to stop the illegal diamond trade - particularly as it can lower prices and reduce the companies profits.
03.42
Orignal sound (english)
Andrew Lamont
De Beers spokesman
Trade estimates believed that Angola produced about 700 million dollars during last year. The vast majority of that was smuggled out of the country and was lost to the country and the people of Angola. It's a great tragedy.
03.59
What can you do?
04.00
Orignal sound
Andrew Lamont (English)
De Beers spokesman
We would like to find a primary deposit. Establish a properly run mine. And ensure that the government receives a flow of income which they can rely on and help reconstruct this country.
Like it has in other countries De Beers want to have overall control over the diamonds in southern Africa. In special businesses agents buy up the stones. It's not asked where they come from. Most come from the illegal diamond diggers with a middleman who takes a 15 percent commission.
Eighty percent of all diamonds used for jewellery in the world go to De Beers headquarters in London where they are sorted. Last year the diamond cartel sold over 4 billion dollars worth of stones.
A profitable business. Everyone has their eyes on the Angola diamonds as the are the best. The official diamond companies which pay tax to the government came to Angola during the civil war.
Andrew Machin is the general manager of the ITM mining company. He's had to scare off about 50'000 illegal diamond diggers from their claim. That makes for trouble.
04.35
Original sound
Andrew Machin
ITM mining company
In the past 18 months our company has had 11 employees killed. At this moment with this private security company guaranteeing our security we've been able to return to operations that were closed for a period of seven months and certainly they've been very effective so far.
The stones found here go to the Angolan diamond company Endiama. How many diamonds they have extracted over the years is keep a closely held secret.
But it's still profitable despite all the risks. That's why the fight over the diamond fields is so intense. Everyone watches each other. Many diamond traders pay for the food of the Garimpeiros. The stones are divided 50/50. The diamond diggers work the hardest, but earn the least.
05.14
Original sound
Illegal diamond digger
Because of the war we don't have any other kind of work in Angola, no other industry. What can we do? We have to survive.
An expedition into this region is fraught with danger. Bandits with grenade launchers, hand grenades and machine pistols surprise us while filming. Recently four South Africans were released. They were suspected of being soldiers and were held in Angola for 9 months. On the other side of the digging area UNITA soldiers and their hangers on are digging for diamonds. There's shooting here nearly every day. Estimates are that the UNITA opposition earns 1 million dollars a day from the diamond trade. After a lot of bargining we're finally allowed to leave the area.
No one here will give up digging for diamonds of their own free will. The lure is too great. Diamond fever has also struck politicians, the army and the police -all of them are trying to earn money. And while there's no peace in the country, things aren't going to change.
06.06
ENDS
Since the Portugese left Angola in 1975, there's been no peace in the country. The civil war between government troops and UNITA has left the country devestated. UNITA didn't recognise the result of the elections in 1992 - and so the conflict goes on. Neither side find it difficult to buy weapons. They're paid for in diamonds - the wealth of Angola. The country could be one of the most prosperous in Africa. It owns the most precious gem, but everyone is helping themselves to this fortune.The government loses at least 30 million US dollars a month through the illegal diamond trade. The diamond diggers are protected sometimes by the army or police - everyone wants to cream something off this profitable trade. Marion Mayer-Hodahl visits a dangerous illegal diamond digging area.
report: Marion Mayer-Hohdahl
camera: John Liebenberg
cut: Herman Theron
MUSIC: Diamonds are Forever
TEXT
01:00
Pictures begin
Diamonds are Forever - Diamonds for all eternity - so goes the world famous advertisment of the Diamond business of De Beers. A woman's heart beats faster. Every stone is cut to increase the value of the original diamond. But most people don't know where these gems come from.
Here in the north east of Angola hundreds of thousands of people are illegally digging for diamonds. They're called Garimpeiros and they search for the glittering stones under extremely risky conditions. Bandits control the area and the roads are mined. The decade long civil war has left many parts of the country ruled by the laws of the wild west. The only thing here is diamonds.
01.33
Original sound
Illegal diamond digger
It depends on the soil. Sometimes I find between 18-30 diamonds and sometimes I leave here with empty hands.
Usually four to six men dig together. Afterwards they share their haul of diamonds. The guards cream off a piece of the action as well. Often they're soldiers trying to supplement their meagre pay. The Garimpeiros work in the water for hours, sieving gravel. But patience pays off. In the midst of other stones one special stone is found: a diamond.
At the end of the day the illegal diamond diggers head towards Lucapa.
The village is cut off from the rest of the world. Everything is flown in. The diamond traders operate from here. The trade is firmly in the hands of the West Africans and Lebanese. They either sell the stones to the three official buying offices in the village, or they smuggle them out of the country. This trader didn't want his face shown.
02.28
Original sound
Illegal diamond trader
I've got 80 people working in the bush. They dig for diamonds and bring them here to me. They don't know the value of the stones. Sometimes I earn two to three thousand dollars a day.
02.49 Question
Isn't it dangerous?
02.51
Original sound
Illegal diamond trader
It's dangerous. It's a very risky business. I often have to bargin for my life. It's a bit like being in a war here.
Because of the risks the trader hides the diamonds on his body. He's been buying and selling diamonds for five years. He always keeps 200 dollars in his pocket to bribe his way out of any tight spot. As a West African in Angola he isn't particularly liked. According to official estimates the illegal diamond trade is worth 30 million US dollars a month. It's probably worth a lot more. This handler has already sold over 100 diamonds this morning.
The De Beers diamond cartel, the biggest player in the world diamond market, is keen to stop the illegal diamond trade - particularly as it can lower prices and reduce the companies profits.
03.42
Orignal sound (english)
Andrew Lamont
De Beers spokesman
Trade estimates believed that Angola produced about 700 million dollars during last year. The vast majority of that was smuggled out of the country and was lost to the country and the people of Angola. It's a great tragedy.
03.59
What can you do?
04.00
Orignal sound
Andrew Lamont (English)
De Beers spokesman
We would like to find a primary deposit. Establish a properly run mine. And ensure that the government receives a flow of income which they can rely on and help reconstruct this country.
Like it has in other countries De Beers want to have overall control over the diamonds in southern Africa. In special businesses agents buy up the stones. It's not asked where they come from. Most come from the illegal diamond diggers with a middleman who takes a 15 percent commission.
Eighty percent of all diamonds used for jewellery in the world go to De Beers headquarters in London where they are sorted. Last year the diamond cartel sold over 4 billion dollars worth of stones.
A profitable business. Everyone has their eyes on the Angola diamonds as the are the best. The official diamond companies which pay tax to the government came to Angola during the civil war.
Andrew Machin is the general manager of the ITM mining company. He's had to scare off about 50'000 illegal diamond diggers from their claim. That makes for trouble.
04.35
Original sound
Andrew Machin
ITM mining company
In the past 18 months our company has had 11 employees killed. At this moment with this private security company guaranteeing our security we've been able to return to operations that were closed for a period of seven months and certainly they've been very effective so far.
The stones found here go to the Angolan diamond company Endiama. How many diamonds they have extracted over the years is keep a closely held secret.
But it's still profitable despite all the risks. That's why the fight over the diamond fields is so intense. Everyone watches each other. Many diamond traders pay for the food of the Garimpeiros. The stones are divided 50/50. The diamond diggers work the hardest, but earn the least.
05.14
Original sound
Illegal diamond digger
Because of the war we don't have any other kind of work in Angola, no other industry. What can we do? We have to survive.
An expedition into this region is fraught with danger. Bandits with grenade launchers, hand grenades and machine pistols surprise us while filming. Recently four South Africans were released. They were suspected of being soldiers and were held in Angola for 9 months. On the other side of the digging area UNITA soldiers and their hangers on are digging for diamonds. There's shooting here nearly every day. Estimates are that the UNITA opposition earns 1 million dollars a day from the diamond trade. After a lot of bargining we're finally allowed to leave the area.
No one here will give up digging for diamonds of their own free will. The lure is too great. Diamond fever has also struck politicians, the army and the police -all of them are trying to earn money. And while there's no peace in the country, things aren't going to change.
06.06
ENDS