Saturday, January 27, 2007

Blood diamonds

Have you ever heard about blood diamonds? Did you know it involves the mass killing of populations, trainning of child soldiers and slavery so that people can say "I love you" with a diamond ring?

December 2003. Montreal.

I was riding the subway with Carmen - a Rwandese friend studying politics with me at McGill.

We had a heated debate over world issues and she suddenly rose her voice. People were staring at us. Back then, I felt embarrassed. Now I think she should have shouted. I just had no idea what she was talking about.

"How come the Ivory Coast is exporting diamonds when there are NONE over there?"

True. Remember the civil war in Sierra Leone? The bloodbath of the 90s?

What about Liberian president Charles G. Taylor and the RUF insurgency in Sierra Leone? Rings a bell? If not, read about it. I am right now. Seriously. It's totally inhumane. Like so many things in this world, granted.

Tonight I saw the most powerful movie ever produced on the topic. I was crying so hard, even after it was over. "Blood Diamonds". They really are.

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