Heart of the Matter: Sierra Leone, Diamonds&Human Security

How diamonds have been the cause of widespread death, misery, & destruction for almost a decade in the West African country of Sierra Leone. Through the 1990s, Sierra Leone's rebel war became a tragedy of major humanitarian, political & historic proportions, but the story goes back 60 years, to the discovery of the diamonds. The diamond mining sector has become influenced by organized crime & by the smuggling not just of diamonds, but of guns & drugs, & by vast sums of money in search of a laundry. No peace agree. would be sustainable until the problems of mining & selling diamonds had been addressed, both inside Sierra Leone & internationally. Tables.Smillie, Ian is the author of 'Heart of the Matter: Sierra Leone, Diamonds&Human Security' with ISBN 9780756707927 and ISBN 0756707927.