1. By: Michelle C., Susan C., and Jenny H. of Class 801
Blood Diamonds
By: Michelle C., Susan C., and Jenny H. of Class 801

2. What are blood diamonds?
Blood diamonds are basically conflict diamonds. They are used to finance a warlord's activity. This happens a lot in Africa especially in Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and other places all over Africa. Many people work hard mining these diamonds. Many of the people who dig for these diamonds are children that are really young.
Blood diamonds are NOT rubies.

3. Where do blood diamonds come from?
Blood diamonds come from many parts of the world however, most of them come from Africa.

4. Introduction: Present Day Topic
Michelle's Essay
The United States buy about 5,000,000 diamonds which is sixty five percent of the world’s diamonds, but does this include blood diamonds? Blood diamonds are diamonds used to fund violent events such as civil war and terrorism. They are mined in war zones/combat areas. Blood diamonds are also known as war diamonds or conflict diamonds. They are mined in Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo but mostly in Africa. many people have tried to solve the problem of blood diamonds but they didn't try hard enough.

5. Paragraph 2: Warlords & Rebels
Michelle's Essay
Blood diamonds are mined by warlords and rebels who use blood diamonds to buy more weapons. Warlords are people who have military and civil control over an area because they have an army that is loyal only to them. Right now the term, warlord, may also refer to someone that has more power than their rank permits. One famous notorious warlord in Africa is Charles Taylor. Taylor had lead an uprising from Côte d’Ivoire to Liberia. After the seven year war, Taylor was voted the president of Liberia because there were rumors that he might start another war if he lost the election. Some famous rebels in Africa are Augustine Gbao and Issa Sesay. They were involved in a war that was funded by blood diamonds. During the war, they had told their troops to cut off the enemies hands. Warlords and rebels have taken over villages so that they have people to mine the diamonds. They even kill some of the villages to set an example telling others not to disobey them.

6. Paragraph 3: Problem Michelle's Essay
The Kimberley Process is a certification system that stops diamonds from an area of conflict from entering the legal, genuine diamond supply. This process makes sure that exports and imports of diamonds all have a certificate that ensures that they were from conflict free areas. Today 74 countries are involved in the Kimberley Process. This was suppose to ensure that 99% of the world’s diamonds are conflict free. This was a great idea to discourage people from mining more blood diamonds because even if they mined them, they wouldn't be able to sell them. The reason why the Kimberley Process didn't work is because they don't have regular monitoring of the situation. These allows many blood diamonds to be sneaked into the diamond supply system. The Kimberley Process was a good idea but without regular check ups of the system, they process failed.

7. Paragraph 4: My Feelings
Michelle's Essay
What does conflict free really mean? The term conflict free doesn't include anything from child labor to torture. I think the first thing they should do is change the definition of conflict free. The term conflict free is very misleading as it does not include a lot of problems. Child labor and torture are big problems and should be included along with the other problems with blood diamonds. Blood diamonds are a huge problem. The Kimberley Process was a good solution if only they had enforced it. I think they should continue the Kimberley Process but they should also let more people know about blood diamonds. This way more people will know about the problem and offer to help. We should stop the mining of blood diamonds so that many lives will be saved.

8. Conclusion: Present Day Topic
Michelle's Essay
Blood diamonds is a worldwide problem.
Warlords have mined these diamonds
throughout the years, killing innocent
people in the process. This needs to stop.
The Kimberley Process should be reinforced.
This may not solve the problem completely
but at least it is limiting it to a smaller
amount. The term conflict free should include
no problems.Everyone show try and help solve this problem. The Kimberley Process should not have the cover up this problem and more people should know about the diamonds they buy.

9. Statistics
4% of the world's diamonds are conflict diamonds
3 million deaths due to diamond mining
$0.07 is the average pay per conflict diamond worker per day
As of March 15, 2012
Source: World Bank, United Nations, Kimberley Process

10. Sweatshops Similarities
Blood diamond and sweatshop workers get very low wages or even no wages.
If the workers ever stole something, they would be punished or killed at times.
The workers have to work in very hot climates.
Africa is by the equator so it is hot all year round.
Sweatshop windows are never opened because the owners were paranoid.
Its was extremely dangerous
especially for the children.
Lots of machinery.
Solution to Sweatshops
Don't buy product from them.
Protest and petition against them.

11. Coal Mining Similarities
Blood diamond workers and coal miners were always in a dangerous climate and had to be very careful.
Machinery and loud explosives were constantly used.
They are also very difficult jobs.
The workers were looking for slivers of coal and tiny diamonds. Also, dust, dirt, etc. were always in the air which the workers breathed in.
Solutions for Coal Mining
It isn't a job for children anymore
and is done by professionals.
Miners should wear more
protective clothing.

12. Child Labor Similarities
The families of these children were all very poor.
These kids desperately needed the money to feed their families.
Children were paid less than adults.
The bosses often took advantage of children because they didn't really understand.them.
Both are dangerous jobs for children.
A lot of children walked around barefoot since they could not afford shoes.
Laws Made for Child Labor
Children under the age of cannot do any kinds of work that could cause danger.

13. Comparison: Introduction
Susan's Essay
History repeats itself. Blood diamonds is a serious issue today but, people have dealt with problems like this in the past. Problems such as child labor and the old cigar factories are very much like this problem in Africa. If the workers stole something that they made, they would get in great trouble or even be killed. There are many ways that blood diamonds and sweatshops are alike. Blood diamonds are basically diamonds that come from conflicted areas like Africa. Many people believe that blood diamonds are rubies. Instead, blood diamonds are conflicted or converted diamonds. That means that these diamonds are mined in a war zone. Some people could come by and kill every worker there and obtain all the diamonds and the mining land. Many people, including children, are killed this way in these diamond mines. Many are missing arms, legs, eyes, etc.

14. Comparison: Sweatshops
Susan's Essay
Compared to the past, one event that is very similar to blood diamonds is sweatshops. The workers in sweatshops get paid very low wages. The diamond miners in Africa also get paid low wages if not no wages. Many miners in Africa only have two choices, work for free or get killed. Another thing is, if the workers ever stole something, no matter how small it is, they would most likely get killed. If a kid stole a really small diamond, hoping it would help feed his family, he would still be slaughtered. The owners of these places were heartless and greedy. They only cared about the money. Sweatshops also get very hot in the summer. The windows in sweatshops aren’t open because the employers are afraid that their workers might try to escape. Down in Africa, which is by the equator, it is always warm and the sun is always up. Sweatshops are also dangerous places to work in. There are a lot of machinery and if you aren't careful, you could get seriously injured. Blood diamond miners work in very dangerous conditions. Sometimes, the diamonds that these workers mine don’t even go to their country. They go to a rich person who can afford it and they do not get paid for anything they do. Today, there are still sweatshops around the world. The manufacturers or retailers get about 75% of the profits from sweatshops. We can stop this by not buying anymore of their products. People can also protest or petition against it.

15. Comparison: Coal Mining
Susan's Essay
Another event that is very similar to blood diamonds is coal mining. Many kids used to work in horrible coal mines instead of go to school. The kids that are mining for diamonds in Africa also don’t go to school. Instead, they work all day hoping to find some diamonds in the rough. Also, working in the coal mines is very dangerous and no place for young children to be. Cranes and other machines are meant to be handled by adults, not children. Also, in a lot of coal mines, explosives are used. Same goes for blood diamonds; kids should not be out on the mines. The miners get very little or no pay as well. They get, on average, a dollar a day. They kids who work in the diamond mines should be out with friends taking in fresh air. Instead, they are working hard in the blazing hot sun. Mining is a very hard job; diamond and coal mining. Looking for slivers of coal or tiny diamonds is not easy and most of the time, these miners come up empty handed. Coal mining is still going on today, however, it is not really a job for children anymore. One solution is for the miners to wear hard hats that have lights on them so they can see easier. Dust is constantly in the air and this world help them easily see dangerous rock formations.

16. Comparison: Child Labor
Susan's Essay
The final event that is very similar to blood diamonds is child labor. Back in the day, many children worked for their families. They could not afford to go to school and they had nothing else to do. In some houses, the children worked with their parents. Some families sew clothing and sell it. This is similar to blood diamonds because usually, the whole family tries to find diamonds all day, hoping to get some wages that could feed the entire family. Other times, the children work alone. These children were very poor and could not afford a lot of thing, like shoes. Children would walk around in factories without shoes and walk across the floor. Most of the time, these factories were very dirty and had scrap metal and glass shards on the floor. This was very dangerous. The children who mine diamonds also could not afford shoes. Some children couldn’t even afford clothes. They just wrapped some fabric around themselves and that was their “clothes.” Children also get paid less. Even though the kids were working just as hard, they do not get paid the same wages. The kids make much less money than their parents do. The owners of the factories tried to take advantage of them. Children who mine for diamonds do not get paid as much as adults do as well. Most of the time, the children do not get paid at all. Although child labor as pretty much been abolished, there will always be some people who try to get kids forced to work for them. They try to hire kids who desperately need the money and would work at any price. Right now, it is still going in the united States but, it has been limited quite a bit. Children under the age of 18 cannot do any job that could cause any danger to them.

17. Comparison: Conclusion
Susan's Essay
Blood diamonds has been a serious issue. Millions of innocent people have been forced to work just because they were vulnerable and poor. They do not deserve to be treated like this and something needs to be done. One thing that has been done to limit blood diamonds is the Kimberley Process. This ensures that most diamonds are conflict-free and are not mined by these hard-working people. They do not deserve to be put under this much pressure or be murdered for something they don't have to do. More laws have to be created to prevent blood diamonds. The diamond loses its beauty after we realize what it has been through.

18. Solutions Jenny's Essay
In 2003 The Kimberley Process was created by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution to prevent the blood diamonds from entering the legitimate rough diamond market. The Kimberley Process certifies shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free' and prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate trade. The Kimberley Process is open to all countries that want to participate. As of November, 2012, there are 54 participants representing 80 countries.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is about creating certifications to approve that rough diamonds, shipped to partner countries are not blood countries. The Kimberley Process can trade rough diamonds only with each other, at the same time proving the clearness of diamonds. The purpose is to prevent blood diamonds to reach The Kimberley Process Scheme and its participants.
Each shipment of rough diamonds is to have a Kimberley Process Certificate. Kimberley Process establishes the rules and requirements to the means of transportation of rough diamonds particularly the containers. A Kimberley Process certificate accompanies all official shipments of rough diamonds to and from participating countries.
All bills for the sale of rough diamonds should now include a written guarantee that states they are conflict-free.Diamond experts estimate that conflict diamonds now represent a fraction of one percent of the international trade in diamonds, compared to estimates of up to 15% in the 1990s.
As of November 2012 there are 54 participants representing 80 countries. Some countries that participate in the Kimberley Process are the U.S., Bangladesh, Turkey.

19. Protesting Against Blood Diamonds Power of the People

20. Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_diamond