MGP+Hoon+Ho

 __ The Truth of Diamonds __  **What is the effect of blood diamonds on civilians in West Africa? **



 __//Preface: //__ What are diamonds used for? Beauty? Wealth? Honor? Despite the fact that these diamonds can represent one's wealth, many diamonds are actually used to make armaments for West Africa civil wars. Due to these frightening wars, the West Africans are terrified with horror. Indeed, diamonds are affecting the civilians in West Africa mentally and physically. Even worse, people do not notice that they are fueling the civil war as they buy the diamonds. Therefore, I chose this topic to inform the people who should know about the harsh situation in West Africa.

This question ties up with the three genres: research paper, diary entry, and picture news. Since I can explain the situation from different perspectives, such as a little boy or a news anchor, it is good to chose these genres to answer the question. If I choose to be someone who writes the diary, I can tell the perspectives toward the purchase of blood diamonds.

For historical background, after the Cold War, the blood diamonds were produced to finance the civil wars in West Africa. The first place where blood diamonds were purchased was Angola, which was caused by the rebels MPLA, Popular Movement for Liberation of Angola. Also, there was Revolutionary United Front, the rebels, in Sierra Leone, which murdered many innocent civilians. Thus my key question, "What is the effect of blood diamonds on civilians in West Africa?" explains how people have suffered during the civil war due to the purchase of blood diamonds.

** Introduction of Genre #1: ** The role of research paper is to inform the audiences with precise and abundant information possible. The form of the research paper is very similar to an essay; however, this genre is not as argumentative as an essay. Most importantly, research paper can answer the question with very objective and unbiased response because of all the information that it needs to have. Also, the facts in the paper is reliable because the information is from professional writers. For your information, most of times the audience of research paper is general audiences. In a research paper, the question is answered with a lot of evidence because it has to be very informative. Since the research papers are so informative, it worked really well to answer my question, which needs a lot of explanation. Also, my question needs evidence to support the answer; therefore, the research paper should work well with my question. From this genre, people will learn about the circumstances of the civil war in West African citizens due to blood diamonds. Moreover, the main role of a research paper is to give most information possible to the reader.

Genre 1: Research Paper 

The Horror of Blood Diamonds Although diamonds are not widely seen as correlated with death, they are the cause of many people's death in West Africa (Pirozzi). Blood diamonds, also known as conflict diamonds, are diamonds that are mined to finance the insurrectionists or warlords’ actions (Pirozzi). Therefore, without the diamonds, there is no way for revolutionists to fuel their activities in West Africa. For example, in Angola, the revolutionary group called MPLA, Popular Movement for Liberation of Angola, revolted against the government for its economic depression (Pirozzi). In fact, MPLA utilized the conflict diamonds to fuel their warfare. Even worse, many soldiers are teenagers who have never experienced violence in their lives (Goreux). These kinds of wars occur most often in West Africa because of their abundant sources of diamonds. Thus, many civilians are suffering and manifesting, since they have no way to afford their whole family’s finance. Unfortunately, the effects of blood diamonds are brutal for those civilians that do not have sufficient knowledge of the war (Pirozzi).

The revolutionary groups in Angola, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, fought for the minefields and murdered many innocent soldiers who were demobilized by the government and the rebels (Pirrozi). These severe effects caused many to suffer and endure the difficult circumstances because they had no other choice. For example, most people worked in mine fields to earn money for their family; however, they lost their lives by hunger. The average dollar they receive during the war was about five cent a day, which demonstrates the difficulty in life (Pirozzi). The rebel’s action to seize the minefield brought even more serious economic depression (Pirozzi). During this serious conflict, the rebelling clans had mentioned that they would bring change for the miserable people by sharing the diamonds; nevertheless, the clans were actually planning to gain profits for themselves (Pirozzi). Indeed, the revolutionary groups were cruel to fool the innocent people to earn money. The strategy they used to gain man power by using blood diamonds, created depressing lives for the people who were working for the rebels (Pirozzi). Therefore, terrorists, in fact, utilized diamonds for unacceptable use.

Despite their hopelessness, many civilians displayed courage and unity to create a sense at peace. With no other options for the West African nations, the United Nations was summoned to confront the conflict (Pirrozi). Consequently, it frightened and pressured revolutionary groups to expand their territories ( //Combating Conflict Diamonds - Campaigns - Global Witness //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">). For example, in Sierra Leone, RUF was stopped to produce blood diamonds by the United Nations, which had made the conflict less severe (Pirrozi). Still, there were some mine fields that were used for warfare, which resulted people's suffering (Goreux). However as a comeback, the rebels captured some innocent children and chopped their limbs off (Pirozzi). Thus, the situation in Sierra Leone got worse due to the people's melancholy for the children. The civilians were severely affected mentally because the people were astounded by the horror of war. The people saw this situation as inhuman. The children who had lost their limbs, are now physically handicapped, which gives them disadvantage in society. Moreover, there seemed to be some peace, but it had brought even more misery for the nation.

As the rebels recovered from the United Nation's attack, rebels conquered more mining fields and manipulated young soldiers with harsh condition (Pirrozi). The soldiers were hurt physically, but worse in mentally. Also, the mining civilians were damaged financially, which resulted hunger. Therefore, if the rebels did not have the diamonds, none of these harsh effects could have occurred in West Africa.

The blood diamonds, indeed, had definitely caused severe damage to the people's lives. The conflicts between the government and the rebels teach us that blood diamonds are vicious objects that can cause mass killing of innocent civilians. For these reasons, the governments in West Africa and United Nations should be aware of the consequences of having blood diamonds in West Africa. <span style="font-family: 바탕;"> "Combating Conflict Diamonds - Campaigns - Global Witness." //Global witness//. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://www.globalwitness.org/pages/en/conflict_diamonds.html>. Elaine. "DNA used to make different lifeless gold nanoparticle structures." //Blisstree - Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles//. 31 Jan. 2008. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://www.blisstree.com/geneticsandhealth/dna-used-to-make-different-lifeless-gold-nanoparticle-structures/>.
 * Work Cited** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">Goreux, Louis. "Conflict Diamonds." //Worldbank//. 2 Mar. 2001. 3 Sep. 2009 <http://www.worldbank.org/afr/wps/wp13.pdf>.

Pirozzi, Giacomo. "Conflict Diamonds." //UN//. 21 Mar. 2001. 14 Oct. 2009 <http://www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> **Introduction of Genre #2:** For genre two, I chose to do diary/journal entries because it will show different perspectives of people viewing the blood diamonds. The characteristics of diary is that there must different perspective of the person that I must take the role of. Also, there must be dates that will clarify what things happened in that certain time to the character. Moreover, diaries are mostly written as personal information, which supports my question because I can answer it from a person's point of view to the effect of blood diamonds. Therefore, the information that is written at the bottom is can be about someone's secret that cannot be spoken to others. Most importantly, the diary gives the reader about their perspective of certain events. Therefore, I can take the role of the owner of the diary and explain the suffering that I had received from the harsh condition. For these reasons, diary will demonstrate how a little boy had suffered mentally and physically during several events.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Proposal: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> For my second genre, I am planning to do a journal entry. It works very well for my project because I can refer to someone's life with in such a horrible situation. For example, a child can write a diary about how he or she had survived and felt about the situation they are in West Africa. Also, there are a lot of ideas that this one child can have about the war, where I can use and put interesting ideas in the diary. Since it is just a diary, there can be more flexibility in writing, so it will be more efficient to answer the question. This one diary can demonstrate how children could have felt, while they are in the middle of the situation where blood diamond were causing many civil wars in West Africa. Therefore, I think that diary/journal entries can be really good genre to write about where not only I can put a lot of facts in the writing, but also I can put my own ideas about effect of blood diamonds. Diary/journal, indeed, is good genre for me.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Point of view: 13 years old boy in 1991 When: 1990~2003 Where: Sierra Leone in West Africa Live in: Nowhere
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Introduce where and when a child was born.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Then explain what kind of situation this child might be in
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Explain how he feels about the situation
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Tell what the child is going to do
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">At the end, sum up with what child thinks about the effect of blood diamond.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Genre 2: Diary/Journal Entries

January 3,1991 Dear Diary, //<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">The Fight Begins // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Few month ago, there was an election in Sierra Leone and eventually the Multi-Party Constitution had won it against the Revolutionary United Front. I was very satisfied because it demonstrated better future for the Sierra Leone civilians with capitalistic society. The other party seemed very corrupted due to misuse of diamonds. However, the Multi-party Constitution party changed and they abused power by using the diamonds for their good. Still, I was fine with the unacceptable actions, but a serious conflict occurred between the government and Revolutionary United Front for the diamond mine fields, which eventually led to severe battles. I was frightened and I did not know what to do about this harsh situation. On December, some soldiers took my parents and now I was left alone with no money or any supplies. Now I had no choice, but to work in a diamond mining field to earn my living. I expected a high pay due to all the work I had accomplished. However, I received only ten cents to live for one day. Now I was in a difficult situation with no family, no supplies, and no food.

April 29, 1992 Dear Diary, //<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">The Real Pain // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> After working in the mine field for an year, when I looked at the mirror, I noticed that I did not look like myself anymore. I was no different from a skeleton. One day I found out that all the diamonds that I had mined were fueling the civil war, which brought me into even more depression. I felt so guilty of doing this job for a year. Now I was in confusion whether I should continue to do this job or not. Eventually I quit the dirty job and lived with no food. However, one day some teenage soldiers came to my house and they told me to become a soldier for the rebels. I definitely refused the offer, but I was forced to do the job by their threat. It was my first experience to hold a gun in my hand. I thought that it would not be a difficult job to kill innocent people; therefore, I was confused whether to murder other people or not. Unfortunately on April 20th, I had a battle against the government soldiers. During this battle, I killed about ten soldiers who were about my age. Now I was frightened by the severe battles. I had gotten through some harsh flashbacks. Thus, I had felt the most guilt in my life ever.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">December 13, 1996 Dear Diary, //<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">What is Life? // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Now I had no meaning in life. Everything seemed meaningless to me. Now killing others seemed to be not a difficult process. However, I was very frightened to face other people personally. The war had brought me with pain and suffers mentally. I would always wonder, 'If there are no blood diamonds everything would be peaceful for everyone in Sierra Leone.' One day I had heard that there was a new leader replaced in the government military chief administrator. I was very satisfied because war can be over. Still, the new leader, Valentine, used teenage soldiers to fight the rebels to gain the minefields, which brought even more serious problem to the society. On January this year, there was a new election for the government, but this time the rebels had won, which brought worse situation for many of the people in Sierra Leone. Now the rebels had used the blood diamonds to fight the other oppositions. I had to fight for every battle there was and there was no time to rest. Not only myself, but also the other teenage soldiers were frightened to fight anymore battles. There seems to be no hope. Now I don't even know who I am. I am mentally lost and physically broken.

June 4, 2001 Dear Diary, //<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">The Death // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> There seemed to be hope in these difficult circumstances. The United Nations had entered the war to fight against the rebels. On January, everything seemed to get better for me and there seemed to be no battles anymore. Most importantly, now I was free from the rebels and I had enough food to eat. However, the peace did not go for long, misery came again. The rebels began to comeback by chopping off people's limbs. I was really terrified by this action. On April, I was taken by the rebels for being treason, so I had gotten my two wrists cut off. Now I did not know what to do. The sudden peace brought much pain to me. I would always wonder, 'Why blood diamonds exist?' There was nothing I can do to make myself happy again. I was physically incapable of doing any activities. Also, I was mentally corrupted with inhuman minds. I feel nothing, but waste in the society. There seems to be no hope for my life.

**Work Cited** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> "Combating Conflict Diamonds - Campaigns - Global Witness." //Global witness//. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://www.globalwitness.org/pages/en/conflict_diamonds.html>.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">Goreux, Louis. "Conflict Diamonds." //Worldbank//. 2 Mar. 2001. 3 Sep. 2009 <http://www.worldbank.org/afr/wps/wp13.pdf>.

Pirozzi, Giacomo. "Conflict Diamonds." //UN//. 21 Mar. 2001. 14 Oct. 2009 <http://www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> **Introduction of Genre #3:** My third genre for the project is Picture News, which is very informative and gives different pictures that can help the people to understand about the situation in the West Africa. This genre is to show picture and tell news about the situation that is happening in the scenes. This works really well with my question because it can be interesting and informative at the same time. There will be picture demonstration with explanation that will help the audiences to understand better. The interesting characteristics of this genre is that the question can be answered with the correct answer, which gives demonstration and explanation at the same time. Therefore, with the genre, Picture News, I can explain the effect of blood diamonds in West Africa.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Genre 3: Picture News

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Video:**

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">**Work Cited:** Albeniz, Isaac. //Sevilla//.

Blair, David. "Sierra Leone targeted by Latin American drug cartels." __Telegraph__. 27 Feb. 2009. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/sierraleone/4863771/Sierra-Leone-targeted-by-Latin-American-drug-cartels.html>. "Map of Sierra Leone." __GMT: Greenwich Mean Time - World Time__. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/africa/sierra-leone/map.htm>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Elaine. "DNA used to make different lifeless gold nanoparticle structures." //Blisstree - Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles//. 31 Jan. 2008. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://www.blisstree.com/geneticsandhealth/dna-used-to-make-different-lifeless-gold-nanoparticle-structures/>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Olorunda, Tolu. "Kim Kardashian, Blood Diamonds, and the Felicity of Stupidity." __The Daily Voice - Black America's Daily News Source__. 2 Oct. 2009. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2009/10/kim-kardashian-russell-simmons-002318.php>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> "Sierra Leone's RUF diamonds." __Woolly Days__. 1 Feb. 2007. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://nebuchadnezzarwoollyd.blogspot.com/2007/02/sierra-leones-ruf-diamonds.html>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> "The Monkey Cage." __International Relations Archives__. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://www.themonkeycage.org/international_relations/>.

"Where is Angola???." __Alambamento's diaries.__. 25 Oct. 2009 <http://alambamento.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/where-is-angola/>.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Epilogue <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> As I worked on this project, I learned that blood diamonds are one of the significant problems in the world. I did not notice that these many people were suffering from the war. Also, I noticed that when government is corrupted the whole nation could suffer from the terrifying situation. Most importantly, I noticed how people can suffer from the harsh situation. My perspective did not change much in answering the question. I had known that Africa is a country, which suffers a lot from poverty. I hope that people learned that Africa is not a great place to live in. Most importantly, the audience should understand the fact that West African people are in a very difficult situation to survive even now. Therefore, the audience should consider about helping West Africa with some charity.