Any movie that gets the truth of the inequities, blood, war, and horror of the diamond trade out there is a must see to me.Documentary, 2007
Directors: Nisha Pahuga, Manfred Becker
Canada/ English
99 minutes
Any movie that gets the truth of the inequities, blood, war, and horror of the diamond trade out there is a must see to me.
This film discusses the history of the diamond trade from the discovery of the first diamond 2,500 years ago in India to its present incredibly successful marketing myth of "diamonds are forever," that earns the few at the top millions, leaves the millions at the bottom practical slaves and leads to war, mutilation, amputees, etc.
It focuses on Sierra Leone one of the top ten diamond producers in the world but also one of the poorest countries of the world. Nearly the entire population are trapped as diggers, paid tiny amounts for the backbreaking labor that mines the diamonds. Shrouds of internal secrecy over the true value of diamonds keeps demand overpriced and supply underpaid. Tens of thousands of innocents have been murdered, had their limbs hacked off, or lost their limbs to land mines as governments and rebels were encouraged by diamond companies to fight over the countries' biggest resource, diamonds, or as they have more accurately become known conflict diamonds or most accurately "blood diamonds."
Martin Rappaport, a Jewish former diamond trader turned industry activist after a life-changing trip to an amputee camp filled with children, was the first to publish a fair price list for diamonds lifting years of self-imposed secrecy within the market. For this one act, his life was repeatedly threatened and he had to wear a bulletproof vest for two years. Now he fights for fair wages for the diggers, asking the most basic questions, "Is our symbol of love their symbol of exploitation?" and if so, "Do we give a damn?"
The film leaves you with that question.
Lucy Cruell