Blood Diamonds Review
"Mr.Campbell tells this complex tale from a personal, feet-on-the ground
perspective. . . He reminds us that there is no longer any such thing as an isolated conflict that goverments and corporations can ignore with impunity."- New York Times
First discovered in the 1930s, the diamonds of Sierra Leone have funded one of the most savage rebel campaigns in modern history. These "blood diamonds" are smuggled from West Africa and sold to legitimate diamond merchants in London,
Antwerp, and New York, often with the complicity of the international diamond industry. Eventually, these very diamonds find their way onto rings and necklaces the world over.
First things first, I don't agree with everything Mr.Campbell says. but that is rarely the case in books. Most of what he says is right though. How the world ignored the conflict in Sierra Leone, of how the people were killed, tortured, raped etc. in the most horrifying ways. If you've seen "Blood Diamond" then you'll see the similarities; in fact the movie got it's research etc. from this book.
Some scenes in this book were too disgusting to read. Thing is: the RUF wasn't the only organization who commited war crimes, the Sierra Leonean army also killed innocent men, women, and children who had nothing to do with the war. One of the RUF's worst crimes was amputation. They cut off any body part which pleased them, mostly the arms and hands. The reason for this was that the elected president of Sierra Leoe at that time, pleaded to "join hands for peace". The RUF then deposited grocery bags with arms and hands in them in front of the royal palace.
This book is highly recommended, but as I said, don't believe everything he says.
I recommend this book for years 18+, because of very high violence and Gore, Strong Language.
You can purchase the book here:
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