Why do people criticize the diamond industry in Africa when it provides jobs and income for the people?

Question

Why do people criticize the diamond industry in Africa when it provides jobs and income for the people?

Answer 1

Here are some good reasons:

1. Torture to the poor laborers.

2. Corruption.

Answer 2

There is a fair amount of murder and slavery associated in that industry. Also, sometimes the money raised by the mining of diamonds is used to fund illegal armies, terrorist acts, or illigitimate evil rulers.

Answer 3

Its probably because of all the killing...

Answer 4

Because diamonds are way too expensive and overrated.

They can easily be "man made" from carbon now.

And you can not even tell the difference between the two.

Africa should become more like China and start some high tech industry where people can have real jobs that are safe and in demand worldwide.

Answer 5

Thats like saying why do people criticize the selling of illegal drugs??? It provides jobs and income right?? IT FREAKING KILLS PEOPLE

Answer 6

Dude, really?

I say go watch Blood Diamond.

Great movie.

You'll learn something.

Answer 7

First off...It doesnt provide anything. They dont hire people to find the diamonds. They force them too. Not only that but a lot of people get killed over the diamonds. Nothing is equal or greater than that of a human life.

Answer 8

It's just bad PR from the cartels like De Beers, limit the market access and control the price.

I feel sorry for the people that think they have an "investment" on their finger.

Answer 9

People generally don't criticize the diamond industry they criticize so called "Blood Diamonds". These are diamonds that come from countries in the middle of civil wars, and the diamonds are going towards guns to kill their own people.

Answer 10

While the rulers and militia of many African countries have reaped financial windfalls from diamonds, few economic benefits have trickled down to the diamond diggers. This is especially true in West Africa where hard labor often earns less than one dollar per day. Even in countries such as Botswana, where economic benefit has been more widespread, diamonds have caused great suffering for disenfranchised minorities like the San Bushmen. This tribe has been displaced from their Ancestral land, and violently harassed and tortured.

Answer 11

There is a difference between "blood diamonds", the selling of which funds wars in certain parts of Africa which is obviously morally wrong and legitimate diamond operations which provides jobs to thousands and where is no loss of life such as in many part of Southern Africa and around the world.  Diamonds are nowadays marked so that before buying it you can be assured of whether it is "blood diamonds" or not.

Answer 12

In an industry where high profits are made out of the end product, the folks who actually dig them out of the ground deserve to be properly protected by health and safety measures and not exploited as underpaid minors. That's why!

Answer 13

Peolple don't condem the entire African diamond industry only "conflict diamonds"diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments, and are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments. So only diamonds from regions controlled by violent militia are cosidered taboo but if you gave me a diamond i personally would'nt care where it came from