Blood Diamond

I recently watched Blood Diamond. It is based on real events. Aside from Leonardo DiCaprio starring in it (hehe), one should watch the movie to get a bigger sense of how much fighting and suffering is going on in Africa. It makes you realize all the fighting that’s been happening isn’t really so much about one’s struggle over one’s ideals. It’s not about the struggle for a specific cause but rather on who gets what—who gets the land, who gets the oil, or who gets the diamonds. Self-serving people fight over possessions and a lot of the innocent are thrown in the middle of it. It’s already bad as it is to see widespread poverty and HIV all over, then you see all these senseless deaths that the African people so do not deserve.

Based on the movie title itself, the movie tells about conflict diamonds (or blood diamonds) which are mined in war-stricken Sierra Leone and are sold to this rich diamond company who supposedly hoards all of the diamonds in the world to sustain the demand and keep the price soaring high. Mura lang pala ang diamonds! Hmnn…After watching the movie, one would think twice about buying diamonds, conflict diamonds that is. Now whenever I would see all these gorgeous diamond pieces, instead of admiring it I think about Africa and remember how much blood was shed just so people (like us) could look pretty and glam. Is it still worth it?

Now I don’t want to sound a hypocrite because just like any other girl, I don’t like like diamonds. Hehe Just like the love for cars or sports are innate in men, it’s the same thing with girls when it comes to diamonds. It’s just a food for thought for all of us. Now that we know what’s really happening, we shouldn’t turn a blind eye on it. Let’s make sure we don’t patronize war diamonds. Ask before buying. (Haha Nagpaka-advocate ba talaga.) Note: Both Bvlgari and Tiffany claim they sell blood free or conflict free diamonds.