Diamond Conflicts: Not Jewelry, Rather Slavery - Essay Sample

Diamond is one of the many natural resources that earn the mining countries income. Diamond is Jewelry and has alluring and spackle nature. The mining and of sale of diamond is a lucrative business because it is source of revenue to the country and source of employment to many people. People working in the Diamond mining areas and those that work in diamond trade lead a high standard lives. The fact that Diamond business is lucrative has attracted controversies over the years. For example, for decades, the conflict diamond has had negative effects on the communities. Conflict diamond is the diamond mined in war zones and sale of such diamond to finance war between the communities. Despite the fact that, diamond mining has a positive impact on the economy, it has a negative impact when the mining areas are war zones and when the proceeds from the sale of such mineral are used to fund the war. There is a need to discourage blood diamond because it causes deaths of many people and ruin International Corporation between the conflicting countries. The purpose of this easy is to explain the negative impacts of blood diamond, which include wars, environmental degradation, deaths, and unjust labor practices.

Wars

The first reason to discourage blood diamond is that it causes wars. Often, mining diamond in the region facing unresolved conflicts worsens the animosity between communities. It is apparent that when two communities or countries are in conflict because of diamond mining zone innocent people are hurt and others are killed. Second, the conflicting countries divert all the proceeds they earn from the sale of diamond to finance the war thus causing the deaths of many people. A typical example of the effect of blood diamond is Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone that attempted to overthrow the government (Bellows, & Miguel, 2006). Evidence shows that the source of power for the (RUF) was the proceeds from the sale of the diamond. The attempt by the Revolutionary United Front to overthrow the government was a dangerous move because it resulted in the death of many people. It was apparent that majority of the people got serious injuries while others had to undergo amputations. Third, when there is war in the country major economic activities stop because many people are displaced from their residential areas. The official in charge of mining of diamond is responsible for the civil wars that erupt in the mining zones. For example, some of the officials are corrupt and does not distribute proceeds earned through the mining activities to the communities equally. Lastly, the control of countries resources causes pain among the communities and the result is civil wars. Angola is a good example that has experience wars and deaths because of corrupt officials controlling the mining activities. The proceeds from the sale of diamond in Angola were used to finance the war between the national union for total independence and the ruling government.

Environmental degradation

The blood diamond causes environmental degradations. First, environment refers to both the living and the non-living part of our surrounding. The environment comprises of trees, rivers, animals, hills, and mountains. When not all the components of the physical environment are interrupted, our surrounding looks beautiful and good for living. However, with the introduction of foreign materials, the environment looks ugly and unfit for the living organism. Second, Diamond mining is profitable yet it has many negative consequences on the physical environment. For example, the methods used for mining Diamond, leave open pits on the surface of the earth. The open holes trap rainwater and form habitat for mosquitoes and another dangerous living organism. Mosquitoes spread malaria, which causes the death of the people living near the mining zones. The open holes left behind after a mining activity make the land less beautiful and unfit for the farming activities. Third, the mining activity causes the release of toxic waste and the release of harmful gases that are detrimental to the human life in the environment. The chemicals used for mining Diamond can cause harm to the environment when there is an improper management. For example, the release of the mining chemicals such as mercury pollutes the water, soils and causes a scorching effect on both the animals living in the dry land and those living in the marine habitats. The gases released, during the mining of diamond and those used during the mining process escape to the atmosphere and causes air pollutions. In the modern society, the effects of global warming are affecting farming because of climate change. For example, the Ozone layer is an important element of the atmosphere that protects the ultraviolet radiation from reaching the surface of the earth.

Lastly, the Ozone layer has protected the living organism from the effects of ultraviolet radiation that causes skin cancer. However, with the destructions of the Ozone layer, all the components of physical environment suffer the effects and thus the beautiful environment is lost. The diamond mining also leads to felling down of trees to create room for mining activities. Clearing of forest to give room for mining and to create space for transportations of minerals to the refineries leads to loss of biodiversity. Felling down of trees and the displacements of wild animals in the mining areas is negative to the beauty of the natural environment. Animal migrations due to the mining activities in the region affect tourism industry in the country. It is apparent that tourist visit places with natural trees and animals. However, with the destruction of the trees, the animals relocate across countries boarders looking for places to live. There are animals species that are in danger of extinction. Mining diamond does not promote the protection animals that are in danger of extinction. The effects of diamond mining in war zones are that the conflicting parties aim at mining more to defeat their opponents (Collier, 2004).

Deaths

The mining of blood diamond causes deaths of the people. First, mining is a dangerous activity because some ore may collapse and cause deaths. With time, the mining ores become deeper and risky for the labor force. Second, the holes left behind after removing the minerals harbors a dangerous animal that kills people living near the mining area. Mining zones are susceptible malaria because mosquitoes live in stagnant water and cause the spread of malaria thus causing the death of many people. Third, the people in the mining zones inhale polluted air and become vulnerable to respiratory diseases (Le Billon, 2001). The destructions of the physical environment is a source of death to the people indirectly. For example, the loss of traditional climate affects the native population because they take time to adapt where majority develops risky health conditions, which leads to their deaths (Olsson, 2007).

Unjust labor practices

The impact of mining blood diamond is the lack of labor justice. Labor justice in the case refers to a situation where the management of the mining activity practices discrimination when allocating jobs to the people. Second, corrupt leadership propagates hatred and causes division among the people. Unfair distribution of job opportunity in diamonding mining zone causes war (Lujala et al.2005). Third, the management of the mining area may underpay the labor force. The underpayment of labor is risky because the workers continue to live in poverty despite the heavy work in the mining zones. Lastly, some of the mining areas do not care for the health of the workers. The loss of lives during the process of mining does not bother the corrupt leadership (Ross, 2003).

In conclusion, mining diamond in war zone causes wars, degradation of the environment, deaths of the people, unjust labor practices. Wars in the diamond mining areas result due to corruption and excess funds from the sale of the diamond. Mining diamond triggers the clearing of forests, release of harmful gases and deaths of wild animals. Clearing of forest to create room for mining destroy the beauty of the environment. Corrupt leadership of the mining areas practices labor injustices s such low payment of labor, and favoritism in employment. The deaths of workers are a common phenomenon in mining zones. Some laborers inhale harmful gases and die while others die because of accidents in the mining areas.

Reference

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