http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do3iJ6DWvpQ Listen for a few words to tell me what this song is about…

Lyrics: “Diamonds From Sierra Leone” "Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)" (feat. Jay-Z) [Verse 1] Good Morning, this ain't Vietnam still People lose hands, legs, arms for real Little was known of Sierra Leone And how it connect to the diamonds we own When I speak of Diamonds in this song I ain't talking bout the ones that be glowing I'm talking bout Rocafella, my home, my chain These ain't conflict diamonds, is they Jacob? don't lie to me man See, a part of me sayin' keep shining', How? when I know of the blood diamonds Though it's thousands of miles away Sierra Leone connect to what we go through today Over here, its a drug trade, we die from drugs Over there, they die from what we buy from drugs The diamonds, the chains, the bracelets, the charms I thought my Jesus Piece was so harmless 'til I seen a picture of a shorty armless And here's the conflict It's in a black person's soul to rock that gold Spend ya whole life trying get that ice On a polo rugby it look so nice How could something' so wrong make me feel so right, right? 'fore I beat myself up like Ike You could still throw ya Rocafella diamond tonight, 'cause

Conflict Diamonds

Did someone die for that diamond?

Also called a “blood diamond” or a “war diamond” – is a diamond mined in a war zone and sold in order to finance or fund an insurgent (terrorism, war lords, rebels) or a war effort.

West Coast of Africa, countries like Sierra Leone are in a civil war with rebel groups like the RUF, Revolutionary United Front.

Terrorism tactics of the RUF include killing, raping, and abduction Terrorism tactics of the RUF include killing, raping, and abduction. However they are known for the amputation of limbs of men, women, children and babies.

The RUF funds their efforts with the diamond resources of the area The RUF funds their efforts with the diamond resources of the area. Selling over $200 million in diamonds annually.

What is being done? Clean Diamond Trade Act  Kimberly Process (2003) = international certification of diamonds so that buyers know where their diamond comes from; only when consumers stop buying conflict diamonds will rebel groups of the world stop killing for the profit of the gems.

The United States consumes 65% of the world’s diamonds

Child Soldiers Vulnerable to military recruitment as a result of their emotional and physical immaturity.

Child Soldier Quote “Early on when my brothers and I were captured, the LRA explained to us that all five brothers couldn’t serve in the LRA because we would not perform well. So they tied up my two younger brothers and invited us to watch. Then they beat them with sticks until two of them died. They told us it would give us the strength to fight. My youngest brother was 9 years old.” Martin, recruited by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda at age twelve.

Who is a Child Soldier? Any person under the age of 18 who is a member of, or attached to, government armed forces (whether or not an armed conflict exists). Can be both boys and girls

Why Join? Forcibly recruited Majority who “voluntarily” join are between 14 and 18 Factors Involved: Poverty Lack of education Power, status Pressures/Honor (Family/Peer) Factors Involved: Few alternatives War Social, economic, community, and family structures Survival Vengeance killings Income promises Girls: avoid servitude, violence, forced marriage

Child Soldier Tasks Combat Laying mines and explosives Scouting Spying Decoys Guards Training Logistics Cooking and domestic labor Sexual slavery

Willing Child Soldier Participants This map indicates only situations in which children have ACTIVELY Participated in conflict. It DOES NOT show all countries where children are recruited into government armed forces or armed groups.

West and Central Africa

North, East, and Southern Africa

Child Soldiers Why children soldiers are easy recruits: Easily manipulated Intensely loyal Fearless Endless supply *****Recent reports estimate that there are approximately 300,000 child soldiers world wide (*under age of 18)

Child Soldiers Child soldiers are located throughout the world, but in Africa, the problem is severe Background of child soldiers: Instituted by Germans during WWII Iran also made use of child soldiers in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq War Other instances involve religion-driven or nationalistic feelings for recruitment

Child Soldiers Children are drawn into fighting at a young age as a result of magic and superstitions Taught early on that life and death depend on spirits Leaders of rebel movements are believed to use magic to demand supernatural respect.

Night Commuters Since 1986, over 30,000 boys and girls have been abducted in Northern Uganda and forced to become soldiers, laborers and sex slaves. These children are taken by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group that has waged war against the Ugandan government for nearly two decades. Abducted children are forced to carry out raids, beat and kill civilians, and abduct other children. They are forced to beat or trample to death other children who attempt to escape, and are repeatedly told that they will be killed if they try to run away.

Night Commuters Every night in northern Uganda, tens of thousands of children, known as night commuters, flow into town centers. They come seeking safety in shelters set up by aid agencies, with the Ugandan government unable to end a brutal 18-year war and protect them from rebel attacks. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/africa_night_commuters/html/1.stm

http://www.amnestyusa.org/diamonds/d4.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15842522/ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/15930505#15930505