Civil War: a Brick Wall in Decolonization
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- Date Submitted: 03/14/2010 06:24 PM
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Civil War: A Brick Wall in Decolonization
Josh Braakmsa 060472
Major exploitation of third world countries’ resources, such as Sierra Leone’s, is a known fact throughout the world. Large companies usually will make the majority of the profit from sale of these natural resources, with little profit going to the country or origin or the people themselves. But is this the major problem stemming from these companies coming in and exploiting these poorer less developed countries? I believe the answer is no. Civil war has taken place in many countries for over twenty years, and often limits the country from developing economically, politically, and socially. These countries find it hard to move forward in all of these aspects due to fear. Fear that the rebels will attack not only civilians, but also government troops.
Before I begin I feel that it is important to discuss some of the facts about diamond trade in Africa. People should not get the misconception that all diamonds that a mined in Africa are illegally mined and termed ‘Blood Diamonds’. There are two main types of diamonds. One type, which is very expensive procedure but often produces large amounts of the precious raw material, is called Kimberlite ‘pipes’. These diamonds are usually found underneath ancient volcanoes. These types of diamond are usually found in Southern Africa where the diamond trade is very beneficial to the host region, and are mined legally. The second kind of diamond is alluvial deposits. These diamonds are often found in river beds and flood plains. These diamonds are easier to retrieve as they require less digging, but are scattered over vast areas where the Kimberlite are often more concentrated. The alluvial deposits are more common in central and western Africa where the majority of the diamond trade is done illegally and involves slaves. It is stated that around 15% of the world’s diamonds are mined this way (Warhurst 2006). It is no coincidence...
Josh Braakmsa 060472
Major exploitation of third world countries’ resources, such as Sierra Leone’s, is a known fact throughout the world. Large companies usually will make the majority of the profit from sale of these natural resources, with little profit going to the country or origin or the people themselves. But is this the major problem stemming from these companies coming in and exploiting these poorer less developed countries? I believe the answer is no. Civil war has taken place in many countries for over twenty years, and often limits the country from developing economically, politically, and socially. These countries find it hard to move forward in all of these aspects due to fear. Fear that the rebels will attack not only civilians, but also government troops.
Before I begin I feel that it is important to discuss some of the facts about diamond trade in Africa. People should not get the misconception that all diamonds that a mined in Africa are illegally mined and termed ‘Blood Diamonds’. There are two main types of diamonds. One type, which is very expensive procedure but often produces large amounts of the precious raw material, is called Kimberlite ‘pipes’. These diamonds are usually found underneath ancient volcanoes. These types of diamond are usually found in Southern Africa where the diamond trade is very beneficial to the host region, and are mined legally. The second kind of diamond is alluvial deposits. These diamonds are often found in river beds and flood plains. These diamonds are easier to retrieve as they require less digging, but are scattered over vast areas where the Kimberlite are often more concentrated. The alluvial deposits are more common in central and western Africa where the majority of the diamond trade is done illegally and involves slaves. It is stated that around 15% of the world’s diamonds are mined this way (Warhurst 2006). It is no coincidence...