Diamonds

Beschreibung

Diamonds are a multi-billion dollar business involving some of theworld's largest mining companies, a million and a halfartisanal diggers, more than a million cutters and polishers and ahuge retail jewellery sector. But behind the sparkle of the diamondlies a murkier story, in which rebel armies in Angola, Sierra Leoneand the Congo turned to diamonds to finance their wars. Completelyunregulated, so-called blood diamonds became the perfect tool formoney laundering, tax evasion, drug-running andweapons-trafficking. Diamonds brings together for the first time all aspects of thediamond industry. In it, Ian Smillie, former UN Security Councilinvestigator and leading figure in the blood diamonds campaign,offers a comprehensive analysis of the history and structure oftoday's diamond trade, the struggle for effective regulationand the challenges ahead. There is, he argues, greaterdiversification and competition than ever before, but thanks to thesuccess of the Kimberley Process, this coveted and prestigious gemnow represents a fragile but renewed opportunity for development insome of the world's poorest nations. This part of the diamondstory has rarely been told.

Autor*in

Ian Smillie

Themen in »Diamonds«

Agriculture Diamant Geographie Geography Landwirtschaft Natural Resources Natürliche Ressourcen Political Geography Politische Geographie

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"Fifteen years ago Ian Smillie looked at a diamond and saw blood,and he rallied civil society and the diamond industry to addressthe blood diamond challenge. In Diamonds he cuts his wayinto the myriad facets of the diamond story ? from geology,to mythology, to development and more. Diamonds isinformation-packed and inspirational, as is Smillie." Stephen D'Esposito, president of RESOLVE, and former director ofGreenpeace International and EARTHWORKS "Ian Smillie examines the messy diamond trade from the soil upwardin this valuable book. He knows far more about diamonds than anydealer, and he cuts through decades of haze to tell you thetruth." Tom Zoellner, author of The Heartless Stone: A JourneyThrough the World of Diamonds, Deceit and Desire "Ian Smillie has produced a remarkably concise yet insightful lookinto the diamond industry ? science, commerce, conflict,activism, Kimberley Process regulation and the ongoing challenge ofinternational development ? based on his years of first-handexperience on the front lines." Matt Runci, retired CEO of Jewelers of America, and foundingboard chair of Responsible Jewellery Council "The author's eloquent and accessible style prevents the materialfrom seeming dry, and his discussions of the potential forsocioeconomic benefits in poorer countries and the complexpolitical, social, and economic issues surrounding blood diamondsare particularly insightful. This informative primer will be highlyvaluable to readers interested in geology and earth sciences,business and economics, and history and sustainabilitystudies." Library Journal "Ian Smillie comes across very effectively as a committed and experienced activist with relevant expertise. For those interested in the long arc of Africa?s so-called ?blood diamond? issue, this book provides that story, explaining how diamonds became an almost ideal vehicle for money laundering and the archetypal case for how governments and independent militias have used natural resources to finance war and violent repression." Journal of Agrarian Change"Fifteen years ago Ian Smillie looked at a diamond and saw blood,and he rallied civil society and the diamond industry to addressthe blood diamond challenge. In Diamonds he cuts his way into themyriad facets of the diamond story - from geology, to mythology, todevelopment and more. Smillie's Diamonds is informationpacked and inspirational, as is Smillie." Stephen D'Esposito, President of RESOLVE, and former director ofGreenpeace International and EARTHWORKS "Look deep enough into the diamond business and you'll see acivilizational story -- the international hunt for wealth, thesecret heroisms, the grinding warfare, the images of love, thediplomatic compromises and the clever fabrications that make it allpossible. Ian Smilie examines this messy trade from the soil upwardin this valuable book. He knows far more about diamonds than anydealer, and he cuts through decades of haze to tell you thetruth." Tom Zoellner, author of The Heartless Stone: A Journey Throughthe World of Diamonds, Deceit and Desire "Ian Smillie has produced a remarkably concise yet insightful lookinto the diamond industry - science, commerce, conflict, activism,Kimberley Process regulation and the ongoing challenge ofinternational development - based on his first-hand experience onthe front lines over the last 15 years." Matt Runci, PhD, retired CEO Jewelers of America and foundingboard chair, Responsible Jewellery Council
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