For that reason alone it is worth having codes, however poorly enforced. Lust for diamonds has sparked bloody conflicts and the gems have provided the financial wherewithal to keep others going. As yesterday's report by Partnerships Africa Canada revealed, diamonds from Sierra Leone fuelled the brutal conflict in the West African country and helped to pay for the war in Lebanon. The former is known for the mutilation of children, whose limbs have been hacked off to terrorize the populace. It is a triumph of marketing that an object whose history is so soaked in blood can be promoted as a symbol of purity and eternal love.
Diamonds are a guerrilla's best friend.
That three Canadian companies have been accused of opportunistic behaviour in Sierra Leone will prompt some raised eyebrows. Mercenaries, arms dealing and bribery are not usually linked with Canadian companies and their principals. These connections have been strenuously denied by the companies. The diamond industry encourages corruption, says the report done for Partnerships Africa Canada, a coalition of Canadian and African groups that promote sustainable development policies. It starts at the mines, where poorly paid workers explore the limits of human ingenuity with their smuggling techniques.