Exploitation of natural resources in Africa

    In Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone, the surgeons ' work tends to be more stressful than the UN peace force (Unamsil). The doctors have to unfold to amputate hands, arms, or legs of a growing number of men, women and even children who were partially severed the axe blows desfechados by "partisans" of the FRU. Is an organization, headed by an ex-private army and ex-cameraman, Foday Sankoh, who lives in the smuggling of diamonds and made from mutilation, abduction and rape of innocent civilians their trademark. In one of the poorest countries in the world, one of the few whose income distribution is worse than that of Brazil (see chart), the smuggling of diamonds is the fuel of a civil war that since 1992 has killed thousands of people and forced half a million Leonese people to leave the country. 

    With the end of the cold war, the illicit trade in diamonds has become, in the mid-' 90, a major source of resources for Armies and guerrillas in an area of endemic wars in West Africa, in countries such as Congo, Angola, Liberia and Sierra Leone. "No one can wage war without money, and diamonds here represent money". In fact, in that part of Africa, the smuggling of diamonds comes to exercise a role in other areas of conflict, such as in Latin America and Asia, is often dominated by drug trafficking. Trafficking in West Africa accounts for 10% and 15% of the total world diamond trade, which only moved last year no less than $ 5 billion.

    Sierra Leone is one of the largest producers of diamonds, symbols of ostentation and fortune. Despite this, it is one of the most miserable places in the world, occupying the last place in the UN human development index, Devastated by a civil war that has lasted nearly ten years, more than half of the population lives below the poverty line. In every 10 adults, seven are illiterate, and life expectancy is about 35 years, Sierra Leone has emerged as colony in the 18 century to house British slaves emancipated, transferred to an unknown location, the former slaves near the European culture despised the native population. Transformed into elite and harassment by Africans, became representatives of colonialism the diamonds from Sierra Leone were discovered in the 30, arousing the greed. With independence in 61, took over Milton Margai, Sierra Leone's people's Party, sympathetic to British interests, leader of a Government accused of corruption and far removed from the interests of the people.