About us

Our team consists of Manu, Tanya, Ishita, Ekta and Mouli. 

Hi, I'm Ishita!

I'm Tanya!

Topic choice 
 Blood diamonds are a war against humanity. The reason behind choosing such a topic is that we wanted to create awareness about diamonds which were transported illegally from Sierra Leone and some other African countries. It has been said that "war is a price of peace. Angola and Sierra Leone have already paid too much. Let them live a better life". To avoid history from being repeated we wanted to create awareness about such issues. 


There are a large number of such issues in the world. Let alone the world, there are several in our country, India only such as abject poverty, illiteracy, widespread hunger, exploitation of people particularly children and women, female foeticide, terrorism and many others. Even though we can not make everything right, we can always make a small difference. This is what our aim should be. For example, you can educate an illiterate kid, adopt a child, donate your old clothes to a person who really needs it. You can always do a little something. Maybe your little something might actually change the life of someone. And when all of us do a little something, the world will surely be a better and more humane place to live in.


References


1.https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsRRSxJovPZDTjv7nysfI2R4r75RDYHKyNMgSgHb88CwU6yFATEJ-qsMiIaskf4YdrUILOjlDIp38a1byfqntSuB2C9nDLxQzmBEp6v36UU7SJpUBzUSVPyyQzvneXQvxdbihJzIRiXlb/s760/b3.jpg

2.http://www.history.com/videos/blood-diamond-beyond-the-bloodshed

3.http://www.google.co.in/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=677&tbm=isch&tbnid=FMCt6Qkv34NuhM:&imgrefurl=http://geology.com/articles/blood-diamonds.shtml&docid=vlyR9LzV9UBnPM&imgurl=http://geology.com/articles/images/diamond-map.gif

4. RUF topics : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutionary_United_Front

5. http://www.google.co.in/imgres?hl=en&biw=1024&bih=677&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=E67RAeythcOqwM:&imgrefurl=http://www.db-apr.com/Sustainability/Ethics/Conflict-diamonds/index.htm&docid=4JDmw4AkUmLVFM&imgurl=http://www.db-apr.com/ImageVault/Images/id_1684/width_232/compressionQuality_0/scope_0/ImageVaultHandler.aspx.jpg&w=232&h=155&ei=X9WQT_v3OITxrQeZ_qD6BA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=162&vpy=339&dur=158&hovh=124&hovw=185&tx=108&ty=74&sig=105109553246082758579&page=3&tbnh=124&tbnw=185&start=33&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:33,i:168

6.http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/site/c.goJTI0OvElH/b.2270757/k.CA70/Put_a_Stop_to_Blood_Diamonds.htm

7.www.­stopblooddiamond­s.­org/­how-­you-­can-­help.­asp

8.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92FCRmggNqQ

9.archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/africa/01/18/diamonds.timeline/

10.http://www.google.co.in/imgres?q=sierra+leone+flag&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=677&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=EbSKRjX1dLfbsM:&imgrefurl=http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/africa/sierraln.htm&docid=0xEajKP5RXwuGM&imgurl=http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/zzzflags/sllarge.gif

11.http://www.google.co.in/imgres?q=angola+flag&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=677&tbm=isch&tbnid=ihJ-AOB8sFylMM:&imgrefurl=http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/africa/angola.htm&docid=gQRnpuOOmXqdVM&imgurl=http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/zzzflags/aolarge.gif

12.http://www.google.co.in/imgres?q=democratic+republic+of+congo+flag&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=677&tbm=isch&tbnid=p4yAvpz1lBEu1M:&imgrefurl=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html&docid=vTC7LNCXFe3CZM&imgurl=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/flags/large/cg-









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Political Party

After peace was established, RUF was converted into a political party, the Revolutionary United Front Party. As of 2006 general secretary of the party was Jonathan Kposowa. In the May 14, 2002, elections the party won 2.2 % of popular votes and no seats. Its candidate at the presidential elections, Alimamy Pallo Bangura, received 1.7% of the vote. The party received its highest votage in Kailahun, 7.8% in the parliamentary election. In July 2007, RUFP merged with the All People's Congress.

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Foreign Intervention

In March 1997, Sankoh fled to Nigeria, where he was put under house arrest, and then imprisoned. From this time until Sankoh's release in 1999, Sam Bockarie, a leading member of the RUF, performed the task of director of military operations of the RUF.

 In 1999, an intervention by the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries as well as the UN resulted in the signing of the Lomé Peace Accord on 7 July 1999. Sankoh was allowed to return under the conditions of the agreement.

 However fighting again broke out, and the United Nations sent peacekeeping troops in hopes of integrating the RUF into a new national army. This intervention failed as well, and by 2000 they held 500 UN peacekeepers hostage until their release was negotiated by Taylor.

 The British and Guineans finally sent in a small professional force in 2001. The RUF was routed following several crushing defeats at the hands of the Indian and British special forces and the revolution ended. Sankoh was captured by a mob and handed to the British where he was indicted for multiple war crimes by a UN-backed court.

 In 2003 Sankoh died in prison before the trial took place. Four years later, during the sessions of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, prosecutors claimed that Charles Taylor had actively participated in directing the RUF's strategy from Liberia; among the allegations was that he had arranged to transport RUF commanders to Monrovia to meet with them personally.

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Atrocities

In response to the immediate execution of rebels by government forces, the RUF instead instituted a policy of cutting off the hands of captured soldiers with the intent of sending the message, "You don't hold your weapon against your brother." 

Brandishing machetes, RUF rebels amputated the hands, arms, and legs of tens of thousands of Sierra Leoneans. The RUF indicated that the reason for these actions was that amputees could no longer mine diamonds, which might be used to support government troops. The election slogan at that time was that the people 'had power in their hands', so the RUF would hack the hands off to prevent voting. RUF members are also said to have practiced cannibalism. 

The government set up a refugee camp where they gathered amputees; the camp was situated next to the international hotels. They also helped fund the camps and gave them food and water.

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Child Soldiers

There were many child soldiers in the RUF; a total of 10,000 are thought to have participated in the conflict.

 Most were used for attacks on villages and on guard duty at diamond fields as well as guarding weapons stockpiles. Today, about 2000 are still left serving in the militiary of Sierra Leone. The RUF made extensive use of child soldiers,  using horrific methods to numb their new recruits to barbarity. Thousands of abducted boys and girls were forced to serve as soldiers or as prostitutes,  and those chosen to be fighters were sometimes forced to murder their parents.  Guerrillas frequently carved the initials "RUF" on their chests, and officers reportedly rubbed cocaine into open cuts on their troops to make them maniacal and fearless.

For entertainment, some soldiers would bet on the sex of an unborn baby and then slice open a woman's womb to determine the winner. The RUF abducted children aged 7 to 12.

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Coup

Foday Sankoh did not stand by his earlier promises of equitably sharing of diamond revenues and used these funds to buy arms for himself.
  With the diamond mines under the control of the rebel group, the RUF became singularly focused on protecting its resource base. 

Sierra Leone's economy collapsed, with ordinary citizens trapped between the cruelty of RUF troops and starvation. After a coup by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) in 1997, the RUF and AFRC created a joint junta to control the country before being evicted from the capital by the invasion of a Nigerian-led West African force that reinstated the rule of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

 The war is estimated to have cost the lives of 200,000 people.

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Creation of RUF

The RUF (Revolutionary United Front) was created by Foday Sankoh, of Temne and Lokko background, and two allies, Abu Kanu and Rashid Mansaray, with substantial assistance from the President of Liberia, Charles Taylor.

 At first, the RUF was popular with Sierra Leoneans, many of whom resented a Freetown elite seen as corrupt and looked forward to promised free education and health care and equitable sharing of diamond revenues. However, the RUF developed a reputation internationally for enormous cruelty during its decade-long struggle.

When it was first formed, the RUF put forward the slogan, "No More Slaves, No More Masters. Power and Wealth to the People." While its goal was clearly to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone, the RUF gave little indication of what sort of government would replace it.


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What is RUF?

RUF stands for Revolutionary United Front. It was a terrorist group formed in the 1980s in Sierra Leone. It was sponsored by the President of Liberia. It seeked to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone and gain control of the diamond producing regions. It was responsible for attacks on civilians and children, widespread torture and murder and using children to commit atrocities. 


1. Creation
2. Coup
3. Child soldiers
4. Atrocities
5. Foreign Intervention
6. Political Party


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History

Sierra Leone's history 

1991 -- Former army Corporal Foday Sankoh leads Revolutionary United Front (RUF) attacks on Sierra Leone border towns from Liberia.

1992 -- RUF starts to target civilians in Sierra Leone, their hallmark being amputations. 120,000 flee to Guinea.

 1994 -- RUF takes over Sierra Leone diamond areas. The capital Freetown is threatened. More than 50,000 have been killed and about half the country's 4.5 million people have been displaced.

1995 -- RUF beaten back from Freetown and diamond areas liberated.

1996 -- Sierra Leone elections marred by RUF violence. Ahmed Tejan Kabbah becomes president. RUF and Kabbah sign a peace accord.

1997 -- Soldiers release 600 prison inmates and seize power to form the Armed Forces Ruling Council. Kabbah flees. Major Johnny Paul Koroma, a former coup plotter, becomes chairman and invites RUF to join government.

1998 -- ECOMOG (Economic Community Cease-fire Monitoring Group) launches offensive on Freetown driving out AFRC/RUF. Kabbah returns. Sierra Leone armed forces disbanded. AFRC/RUF continue to attack towns and villages throughout country. U.N. peacekeepers sent in.

1999 -- AFRC/RUF attack Freetown killing 6,000 civilians before ECOMOG push them back. Peace setllement agreed. Foday Sankoh given role in government. U.N. approves 6,000 peacekeeping force.

2000 -- RUF kidnap 500 peacekeepers. UK sends in paratroopers. Sankoh detained. U.N. imposes global embargo on diamond exports from Sierra Leone.

Angola's history

1992 -- After 14 years of civil war, elections held and MPLA win, but a presidential runoff is required as the vote is closely split between MPLA's Eduardo do Santos and UNITA's Jonas Savimbi. Election result rejected by UNITA before second election, and civil war continues.

1993 -- U.N. reports up to 1,000 people dying every day, more than in any other conflict in the world at the time.

1994 -- Lusaka Protocol is signed, but fighting continues. Joint Commission set up comprising the U.N., government and UNITA, with U.S., Portugal and Russia as observers.

1996 -- Fighting continues in diamond areas.

1997 -- Serious violations of the cease-fire, including attacks on civilians by both UNITA and the government. U.N. freezes UNITA bank accounts and closes their overseas offices.

1998 -- Fighting escalates. Both sides lay mines around their postions including diamond reserves. U.N. prohibits export of unofficial diamond exports.

1999 -- Diamonds worth $150 million produced in conflict areas and $468 million from non-conflict areas.

Democratic Republic of Congo


1997 -- Laurent Kabila wins power.

1998 -- Civil war revived by rebel movement backed by Rwanda and Uganda, which control diamond area.

1999 -- Official production of diamonds worth $396 million.

2000 -- Army claims Rwandan and Ugandan troops have "massacred" civilians around the diamond area in the east of the country.

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Where are blood diamonds found?

Blood diamond trading is mainly done in the following countries:

• Angola
• Sierra Leone and Liberia
• Ivory Coast
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Zimbabwe

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Kimberely process

In 2003, the government-run Kimberley Process scheme was launched to stop the trade in conflict diamonds. Over seventy governments taking part in the process are required to certify that diamond shipments through their countries are conflict-free, and they are required to set up diamond control systems to ensure this is true. Governments must pass national laws implementing the Kimberley Process and they can only trade with other participants in the process.

The diamond industry agreed to police itself to support the Kimberley Process by tracking diamonds from mines all the way to retail stores - this is generally referred to as the "system of warranties" or the "system of self regulation." But this isn't fully implemented. Every company dealing in diamonds should have a policy in place to ensure their diamonds are conflict-free.

Governments must also step in and monitor the diamond industry. They should require all sectors of the diamond trade to put meaningful systems in place to combat conflict diamonds (responsible sourcing policies, third party auditing measures). Governments should carry out periodic spot checks of diamond companies to make sure they have systems in place to prevent any trade in conflict diamonds. Governments participating in the Kimberley Process have agreed that it is a priority to set up government checks of rough diamond companies over 2007.

The World Diamond Council, set up to represent the diamond industry on conflict diamonds, has launched an aggressive, multi-million dollar PR campaign aimed at convincing the public that the conflict diamond problem has been solved. This campaign jeopardizes global efforts to stop diamonds from fuelling conflict and to protect the legitimate diamond trade in Africa. Industry profit and inaction come at the expense of economic development in Africa, and at the expense of people's lives.

Many diamond-rich countries are extremely poor and people are not benefiting from the wealth in their soil. Diamond fields are rife with chaos and instability, and rebel groups and terrorists can still take advantage and access diamonds. The Kimberley Process means little to hundreds of thousands of men and children digging for diamonds in dangerous, dirty and difficult conditions in Africa. They often earn less than a dollar a day from artisanal mining, carried out with simple picks, shovels and sieves.

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