Diamonds and gold —vast natural resources that could enrich a nation - are a curse in the Democratic

[polly7]

Republic of Congo, where the Congolese people have suffered the largest death toll since the second world war.

http://mediastorm.com/publication/rape-of-a-nation

"Diamonds and gold — vast natural resources that could enrich a nation — are a curse in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Congolese people have suffered the largest death toll since the second world war.

The conflict between warlords and armed rebels for control of these resources have plunged the citizens into a life of poverty, sexual violence, and war. Some 45,000 people die each month as a result.

The actual miners who extract the sought-out treasures have no access to a living wage, societal safety, or simple medical care, while their leaders enrich themselves and allow the misery to continue.

Marcus Bleasdale traces how the west's consumer appetite for these resources have led to such sub-human conditions for the Congolese, and poses that we might make a difference — at the jewelry counter — simply by asking: where does that ring come from?

Published: January 22, 2008"

I posted a reference to this earlier in Good Reads, but the documentary itself is very important.

[HopeHoops]

1. "Where does that ring come from?" - "Um, somewhere in New Jersey, I think."

Like the salespeople know? It's a fair bet it all comes from such mines. We just don't buy it anymore. It isn't our thing anyway.

[hlthe2b]

2. My only (small) diamond pendant is a Colorado Diamond, mined just north of Ft. Collins & south of WY

at a mine that closed when it became cost prohibitive to keep it going. Only a small percentage were jewelry quality--most just industrial, but they marketed the pieces as Colorado-mined by designing all the pendants and earrings to have the small diamond be housed in a small golden "C".

I never was big on diamonds, but I'm really happy to have that one piece of jewelry I can wear without guilt. Blood diamonds have been an issue for many decades.