Social Significance Of The Kimberley Process

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The Diamond Trade has a large social significance for people all over the world. Change has occurred since the introduction of the Kimberley Process, and it has greatly affected people in a positive way. Previous to the KPs introduction, diamonds financed wars. Rebel groups funded their purchases of arms and weaponry with diamonds, and attempted to overthrow the government in places like Sierra Leone, Angola and Congo. The civil war in Sierra Leone lasted eleven years and resulted in 50,000 deaths. We can clearly see that Africa has been affected on a large-scale level, socially and economically. The social significance of the Diamond Trade over the years has been devastating and cost many lives. For many years diamonds have meant death and destruction in …show more content…

The group fought in Liberia to overthrow the government. Taylor was charged with 11 counts of war crimes, serious violations against humanitarian law as well as crimes against humanity. Specifically, he has been charged with terrorizing the civilian population, unlawful killing, sexual violence, physical violence and enlisting child soldiers, along with looting. These crimes are purely an example of the devastating effects of the Diamond Trade on Africa. The Kimberley Process is working towards changing conditions in Africa and preventing enslavement and further wars- however the process is flawed, and the Diamond Trade is still affecting people negatively. Certification that is required to ensure the diamonds are not conflict diamonds have been known to be counterfeit and fraudulent, and escalating violence is currently being funded in Cote D’Ivoire by conflict diamonds. Cote D’Ivoire was previously a member of the Kimberley Process, and this clearly illustrates that the KP is flawed. Countries with weak government controls over diamonds allow diamonds to be certified conflict free, though they may be funding

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