Sierra Leone Diamond Market Linked To Civil War
The closure of Sierra Leone's largest diamond mine last year continues to impact the national economy. There are currently no visible signs of a resolution to the dispute. The process involves discussions with Kwaidu to address the situation. The government is working to ensure the people of Konokon benefit from the mineral wealth. Residents near the mine site are now forced to engage in small-scale informal commerce, such as selling clothes, to survive. Families in the area are reporting job losses following the mine's shutdown. A film highlighted the global perception that the diamond industry fuels corruption and killing, particularly in Africa. This phenomenon is known as the resource curse, where economic blessings lead to negative consequences. The Conno Chairman, Augustine Schech, was mentioned in relation to this issue.
Topics
Developing
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Sources · 7 independent
“The closure of the country's biggest diamond mine last year has added to the economic uncertainty.”
“I feel so bad, so devastated when they closed the mine. My source of income was closed down.”
“We came to an agreement that they would give us 30% a bag of rice for you every month and they would provide toilet facility for you. They would be giving us water... It started to dismiss people.”
“A company move some years ago to switch from paying local staff in dollars to the Sierra Leonean currency instead. If the dollar goes up, you will see it on your payslip.”
“Coidu Limited categorically denies this. Here's the CEO, Dag Cramer, again. A lot of the narrative out there is convoluted, it's fake, it's wrong.”
“We were paying the local workforce in Sierra Leonean times the national minimum wage going into this. Both sides accuse the other of inaccuracies in their descriptions of the pay issue.”
“other miners say wages were being squeezed following an accompany move some force in Sierra Leonean currency, which we were obliged to do by regulations in the country”
“Based on pay slips the BBC has seen, once submitted to the court as well, Koydou mine workers do appear to have experienced a subs...”
“And many of the staff on the mine, both local and expat, were petrified. And we have never been in a situation that felt this threatening. And we ultimately had to evacuate from the mine site.”
“And many of the staff on the mine, both local and expat, were petrified. And we have never been in a situation that felt this threatening. And we ultimately had to evacuate from the mine site.”
“government notice, we literally haven't heard a word from them. Zero. Silence. that this could escalate into a situation beyond our control.”
“Do you think the diamonds have failed this community? Yeah, to me the diamonds have failed us. War, poverty, the axe now, what have those diamonds done for our community? What have those diamonds done for Kono? What have those diamonds done for Sereliun? Up to now we are considered as poor in the world. So to me, diamonds have failed us. But still the”
“السوق العالمي والحجر الثمين هذا بدأ بريقه يلهب أحد أكثر النزاعات دموي دخول جماعات من خارطة في الحرب الأهلية بسيراليون سوق الألماس”
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