Writers and newscasters need to beware of trying too hard to be politically correct. The first and last stops on the politically-correct diamonds' train line are stations called "Censorship" and "Manipulation."
Have you ever wondered if the monies from non-conflict diamonds ever buy weapons to kill innocent people? Are the people who buy, sell, traffic, and wear blood-less diamonds immune to violence or the financing of violent upheavals?
We are treated to well-financed and hopefully well-intentioned campaigns, cautioning us to ensure that only diamonds with a specific seal are guilt-free. I am not trying to belittle the well-intentioned process, but something is missing here. Let us look at the regulators and how they issue their certification.
The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, or KPCS for short, originated from a meeting of Southern African diamond producing states in Kimberley, Northern Cape in May 2000. Three years later an official certification process took place. From its official commencement date in 2003, in order for a country to be a participant, it must ensure that any diamond originating from the country does not finance an entity seeking to overthrow a UN-recognized government, or a rebel group. KPCS also mandates that every diamond export be accompanied by a Kimberley Process certificate proving that no diamond is imported from, or exported to, a non-member of the scheme. In the corporate world, that is called "restraint of trade." When Uncle Gates tried something similar, other computer programme sellers filed suit and won.
So if a poor farmer finds a diamond and tries to exercise his legal rights under fair trade laws, in the diamond industry, unless he sells it to the governing organization or member, the world is warned that he will commit diamond treason.
When I checked the data at the U.N, I saw brochures with the continent of Africa with messages and drawings implying that persons other than their authorized sellers who tried to sell rough diamonds, could and most likely would use the monies to finance revolutions.
As a reporter news-hound, when I computed the cost of printing the brochures and the cost of the advertisement campaign, I decided to do some investigative digging. It is my duty to dig. First of all, poor farmers work an average of 16 hours per day, risking their lives in some cases, trying to find one piece of rock big enough to feed their families. They do so in an environment where such entrepreneurial acts are prohibited or controlled mostly. Secondly, the odds are not in their favour; thirdly, the last time I checked the price of an automatic attack rifle, it would take a village of approximately10,000 people working approximately 20 hours per day for at least 10 years to find enough diamonds to purchase 100 semi-automatic rifles.
A very troubling and recurring unanswered question caused me to pursue the truth. I found wonderful research by fellow journalists, documenting their results that germs, as opposed to people, were responsible for, and will continue to cause the rape of Africa. Others posit that the discovery of steel caused the nation to slice downwards, and others still, believe and teach that guns (by themselves)did the damage.
I have no way of challenging their hypotheses, nor would I. However, I have found over 50 prophecies in the Hebrew Torah about a branch of Abraham's seed predestined to be shipped by sea and enslaved for 400 year-periods. The people and resources would be plundered repeatedly. However the texts did not say how that would happen. The Torah only gave the duration of the rape and plunder. It would continue to happen "Unless they returned to the provisions of The Covenant of Abraham."
Finding the scriptural prophecies were not sufficient for me, I needed to understand the type of human spirit that would enslave a people and brazenly take their resources, devalue their currencies, and then warn people not to buy their goods unless the seed of the people who did the aforementioned approved the sale. What is more alarming is that the world body politic accepts that without challenge. Something very deep and sinister has to be functioning beneath the surface of such warnings. Had I not done my own research and found the fulfillment of prophecies concerning such, I would have believed any writer who posited that aliens kidnapped some people and took over their minds.
According to published and accepted theories, guns, germs and steel decided on their own accord to target Africans; since then, the killing and milking of their resources have become habitual. As a fellow writer, even though I had a hard time swallowing that, I respect my colleagues' theses. However, none of those works answered my basic question: What could possess specific nations and their seed to pursue Africans, their lands, peoples, and their resources relentlessly for 400-year periods?
Sequential coding of letters of male heirs of Abraham revealed interesting prophetic pronouncements. Those from a specific point A to a reference point G matched known and documented history. Those from specific reference points M to point Z matched recorded history. However, whereas many historic records were lost from library burnings, theft and destruction of parchments, sequential decoding of male seed heirs allowed missing pieces to be replaced. Those codes are deciphered and revealed in "The Golden Fleece Found!."
Without the Torah explanations, the one-sidedness practiced by countries trading or working with Africa cannot or does not make sense. Where is the clause from the governments that are signatories to the same process promising not to commit genocide? Where are the clauses from the participating members pledging that if they use funds received from the honourable diamond trade to deprive medical supplies to their poor folks, or medicinal supplies to those in need, that Interpol has the right to confiscate the property and the funds?
I searched and searched in vain. One day, I accidentally stumbled upon Psalm 44:12, and wondered what and who God was speaking about: which people would be sold and not receive a dime for the transaction.
I sat in a lecture once where a student asked the guest lecturer, "What were God-fearing people during the Holocaust?" When the professor responded with similar questions "Where were God-fearing people when we invaded Iraq without evidence?" and "Where were God-fearing people when Indians were slaughtered for their lands; Incas slaughtered for their gold? While each question produced louder silence, the last one emptied the room: "Why is it that you students only have that passion when you are in college, but as soon as you join the corporate world your zeal disappears?" The professor continued: "I can play back tapes of lectures going back 10 years and in every instance there is someone just like you asking the same questions. I will do with you the same thing I have done to classes before. I will ask you to call me in two years time, if we are both around to see what you have done about the things you raise here. None has ever called."
I knew fame early. I do not have to barter my soul or my integrity to achieve anything. Thank heaven my reputation is more important than having a marketable perception. By creating a trans-continental radio audience, by adding my name to issues people are afraid to touch, all I want to do is to remind people that crime--gift wrapped or laid bare is the same. Stop believing that some are more bearable than others. Corporations reward rebel executives with huge bonuses while the staff that inhabit the "pleb" bleachers get laid off. If, the intent is to monopolize the diamond industry, to control the prices, and if that means destroying the reputation of some nations in the process, how would anyone know? Isn't it better to believe the packaged and well merchandised theory that the monies from either the purchase or sale of certified diamonds will never shed blood or finance conflict? After all, we believed that guns--by themselves, germs--by themselves, and steel--by themselves might have killed millions.
I would have been so happy if the people who produce those movies pressing to convince us that hungry farmers are evil people trying to finance revolutions, if they would include just a little footage showing us the conditions that diamond miners work under and also to disclose what the workers receive for a day's pay in local currency. When that is finished, convert the local currency to U.S or Euro. Sad to say, many miners would be happy to receive as much as U.S$1.00 per day. Mike Bruno's articles hint that greed and manipulation sing in the diamond trade choir: www.blacktable.com/bruno031030.htm.
On July 28th 2007, a headline article trumpeted news media worldwide that 11000 miners in South Africa voted to launch an unlimited strike the day before a powerful diamond company scheduled its bi-annual sales report. Members of the National Union of Mineworkers scheduled strike action after they refused their salary demands. I remember the story well, because I produced the news that day and carried the story as headline news for Observer Radio. Fifteen minutes ago, I tried to reference the article; only the headline segment remains on the web.
Where is the conflict: with the diamonds, with the conscience of the diamond sellers, or with the buyers?
Janine Roberts has followed the seedy side of the diamond business and has exposed the oftentimes disgusting lengths it goes to maintain control over the Diamond's trade. Many of her findings are in her most recent book, Glitter & Greed: The Secret World of the Diamond Cartel.
Here is something for preachers to ponder: the most ignored sermon is Matthew 25:40 "Whatever you do to the least of these you do unto me." That scripture underpins Malachi 3:10. However Malachi 3:10 is the most quoted in churches today. Here is some irony: if many Africans according to prophecies are Abraham's seed, and if God has an everlasting covenant with them, then innocent babies who die because of starvation and greed must reap certain post-earth rewards. Just wondering: what happens to people who continue to cause their hunger, suffering, injustice and premature death?
Suggested readings: "The Golden Fleece Found by Basil C. Hill--http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Fleece-Found-Basil-Hill/dp/1412043190 and Glitter & Greed: The Secret World of the Diamond Cartel by Janine Roberts.
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