"Ladies, frost yourselves"
- Ben Barry in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"
Capturing the hearts of every woman, we have all once hoped that Matthew McConaughey would whisper these words to us with those dreamy blue eyes. Honestly, I couldn't have been the only one melting over his witty charm as he swept Kate Hudson off her feet in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 days." In his marketing campaign, women were so fancied by diamonds that it is quite obvious diamonds represent a symbol of love, romance, and elegance. It is through this film, we can truly comprehend the widespread craze about diamonds.
However, there is a depressing twist to these glistening beauties. We often see these diamonds strapped on an older women's finger or draping a chandelier. People tend to assume that a diamond is like any other mineral and mined with an ole' pick ax. That isn't nearly the case with diamond mining.
Forged into the most war-torn regions of Africa, these rare jewels has been coined the term 'blood diamonds' as they've gained a nasty reputation. In third world countries, there are minimal, if any, rights that are given to workers pertaining to their wages and working conditions. Men, women, and children endure heinous treatment as they mine for diamonds to be smuggled and sold into an illegal trade. According to Motsoeneng, police in Zimbabwe enforce brutal methods of control in the diamond fields that have led to killings, torture, beatings, and harassment. Clearly, there is little regulation from the government as the diamond fields support violent actions.
It isn't merely the treatment of the workers that is the issue. The profit made from the diamonds mined is then funded toward illegal activity that fuels government corruption, war, violence, and bloodshed. Particularly, Brilliant Earth mentions that the diamond mines have been known to finance militaries and rebel militias, which only intensifies the civil war. By mining in certain areas and financing the local wars, these blood diamonds have earned their title as they've led to instances of rape and creating child soldiers. Funding atrocities such as these only worsen the conditions of these third world countries and continue to diminish hope for the people.
But hope isn't completely lost.
Many companies have recognized the damage their greed has inflicted upon innocent people as it has encouraged violent war and horrific destruction. Change has already begun as actions to protest this violence have been enacted. But, how? Through jewelry companies selling what are know as 'conflict free diamonds.' In particular, one jeweler, Brilliant Earth, guarantees that their diamonds are not associated with violence, environmental degradation, poverty, and human right violations. As many followed in their footsteps, people are committing to conflict-free diamonds in hopes of improving these African war-torn regions.
While there is progress being made, blood diamonds remain a pertinent issue plaguing many parts of Africa. Next time you fall in love with those diamond earrings or hear Matthew Mccnaughey's "frost yourself," I would wonder -- how much blood is on those diamonds?
