Text
0,08
Diamonds are the ultimate symbol of luxury.
0,14
Sierra Leone, West Africa, should be one the worlds richest countries. It is has huge diamond deposits and lucrative natural reserves. But the people here dont profit from this wealth at all. They live a hand to mouth existence, struggling for survival.
0,30
Ali is 15. If he finds a diamond he earns half a dollar a day. If he finds nothing, he doesnt have enough to buy food.
0,38
The Kono area in the Western part of the country is scattered with legal and illegal diamond mines. The thick rainforest makes controlling them almost impossible.
0,49
In the town of Kono, diamonds literally pave the streets. The diamond trade is the most important economic activity, and business is booming: just last year Sierra Leone exported approximately 150 million dollars worth of diamonds. But the people of Kono are still scarred after the ten-year long civil war.
01,11
During the war the man that profited most from the diamond wealth was Charles Taylor, rebel leader and former dictator of neighbouring Liberia. In order to finance his army, Taylor occupied Kono and the population fled from his brutal rebel army. When the conflict ended three years ago and the people finally returned, they found a city in ruins.
01,35
Sahrfea Mohamd Konnoby refugee.
We suffered a lot during the civil war. As I came back from the refugee camps, I found my house utterly destroyed. Ive gathered old metal scraps and have at least managed to make a sort of roof over three rooms. Even this wall here had collapsed and I had to rebuild ityou see here is the old part and here the new part.
02,00
2 million people became refugees during the civil war, almost half a million were killed. It was one of the cruellest conflicts of the century - tens of thousands of children were carried off - boys as child soldiers, girls as sex slaves.
The conflict in Liberia left more than five million dead and twenty million refugees. Again and again in Africa, mineral resources like oil, uranium, diamonds are fuelling civil wars.
02,28
Corinna Gilfillan - Global Witness
02:55
Tighter control over the trade should prevent the financing of civil wars through blood diamonds. Two years ago, the Kimberley Process was enacted and the main exporters were forced to adhere to its terms: each newly extracted raw diamond must get a certificate of origin that has a precise description of the gem. Without it, the diamonds cannot be traded on the international market.
03:24
Mohammed Dean, minister for the mining industry, Sierra Leone
03:54
The certificate has overall prompted positive reactions. But it is not without its critics for now diamond trading is now exclusively in the hands of government, which lends itself to corruption. Once again the people at large dont profit. But the government in Sierra Leone argue that the absence of control could lead to a new civil war.
4:16
Konnoh Bundoh head of security for the Kono region
4:39
Since the war ended, people have worked for themselves again and not for the rebels. The majority of the population in Sierra Leone is Muslim and a great part of the commerce is in the control of Arab traders. The government is afraid that diamonds are also being used for money laundering: diamond firms from Lebanon have settled down thereand there are also concerns for the spiritual welfare. This mosque was opened last year by the Lebanese Hezbollah.
05,12
Laurence Meyer, Ministry for Diamonds
05:52
The EU is working with the main diamond-producing countries in the world to enforce the Kimberley Process. Antwerp, Belgium, The diamond market here is the worlds greatest centre for diamond trading. 80% of all the gems are traded here. But thanks to the Kimberly Process, in future Blood diamonds wont be sold here anymore.
06,19
Florika Flink-Hooijer, EU Direction for foreign affairs
Countries that are currently excluded from the trade are the Ivory Coast, Liberia, Central Africa and Congo-Brazzaville. The illegal trading of diamonds can never be completely avoided.
06,49
Corinna Gilfillan - Global Witness
07,07
A kind of normality has returned to Sierra Leone. Child soldiers have been sent back to school, militia have been unarmed and many refugees have headed back to their villages. Child labour has been officially banned from the mines. But, as before, there is little evidence of the wealth that diamonds should bring. Nevertheless, the Kimberley Process is at least an attempt to prevent the precious gems from causing Africa further suffering.
0,08
Diamonds are the ultimate symbol of luxury.
0,14
Sierra Leone, West Africa, should be one the worlds richest countries. It is has huge diamond deposits and lucrative natural reserves. But the people here dont profit from this wealth at all. They live a hand to mouth existence, struggling for survival.
0,30
Ali is 15. If he finds a diamond he earns half a dollar a day. If he finds nothing, he doesnt have enough to buy food.
0,38
The Kono area in the Western part of the country is scattered with legal and illegal diamond mines. The thick rainforest makes controlling them almost impossible.
0,49
In the town of Kono, diamonds literally pave the streets. The diamond trade is the most important economic activity, and business is booming: just last year Sierra Leone exported approximately 150 million dollars worth of diamonds. But the people of Kono are still scarred after the ten-year long civil war.
01,11
During the war the man that profited most from the diamond wealth was Charles Taylor, rebel leader and former dictator of neighbouring Liberia. In order to finance his army, Taylor occupied Kono and the population fled from his brutal rebel army. When the conflict ended three years ago and the people finally returned, they found a city in ruins.
01,35
Sahrfea Mohamd Konnoby refugee.
We suffered a lot during the civil war. As I came back from the refugee camps, I found my house utterly destroyed. Ive gathered old metal scraps and have at least managed to make a sort of roof over three rooms. Even this wall here had collapsed and I had to rebuild ityou see here is the old part and here the new part.
02,00
2 million people became refugees during the civil war, almost half a million were killed. It was one of the cruellest conflicts of the century - tens of thousands of children were carried off - boys as child soldiers, girls as sex slaves.
The conflict in Liberia left more than five million dead and twenty million refugees. Again and again in Africa, mineral resources like oil, uranium, diamonds are fuelling civil wars.
02,28
Corinna Gilfillan - Global Witness
02:55
Tighter control over the trade should prevent the financing of civil wars through blood diamonds. Two years ago, the Kimberley Process was enacted and the main exporters were forced to adhere to its terms: each newly extracted raw diamond must get a certificate of origin that has a precise description of the gem. Without it, the diamonds cannot be traded on the international market.
03:24
Mohammed Dean, minister for the mining industry, Sierra Leone
03:54
The certificate has overall prompted positive reactions. But it is not without its critics for now diamond trading is now exclusively in the hands of government, which lends itself to corruption. Once again the people at large dont profit. But the government in Sierra Leone argue that the absence of control could lead to a new civil war.
4:16
Konnoh Bundoh head of security for the Kono region
4:39
Since the war ended, people have worked for themselves again and not for the rebels. The majority of the population in Sierra Leone is Muslim and a great part of the commerce is in the control of Arab traders. The government is afraid that diamonds are also being used for money laundering: diamond firms from Lebanon have settled down thereand there are also concerns for the spiritual welfare. This mosque was opened last year by the Lebanese Hezbollah.
05,12
Laurence Meyer, Ministry for Diamonds
05:52
The EU is working with the main diamond-producing countries in the world to enforce the Kimberley Process. Antwerp, Belgium, The diamond market here is the worlds greatest centre for diamond trading. 80% of all the gems are traded here. But thanks to the Kimberly Process, in future Blood diamonds wont be sold here anymore.
06,19
Florika Flink-Hooijer, EU Direction for foreign affairs
Countries that are currently excluded from the trade are the Ivory Coast, Liberia, Central Africa and Congo-Brazzaville. The illegal trading of diamonds can never be completely avoided.
06,49
Corinna Gilfillan - Global Witness
07,07
A kind of normality has returned to Sierra Leone. Child soldiers have been sent back to school, militia have been unarmed and many refugees have headed back to their villages. Child labour has been officially banned from the mines. But, as before, there is little evidence of the wealth that diamonds should bring. Nevertheless, the Kimberley Process is at least an attempt to prevent the precious gems from causing Africa further suffering.