“Short sleeves or long …” or Blot on Humanity

This common enough question ran a chill down the spine of innocent peasants, farmers, fisherman etc. of Sierra Leone when RUF’s (a foreign sponsored militia) matchet-wielding killers gave them a choice of getting their arms chopped off from the elbows or wrists. Their crime: allegedly participating in the country’s general elections.

The Horror…

Gruesome, yes but equally true. I did some reading on the so-called “civil war” (it was more like foreign sponsored coup resulting in anarchy and widespread banditry) that took place in the country for nearly a decade. Nearly 2 million died and countless maimed thus (for participating in the elections) as the child-teenage armies controlled by greedy pigs like Sanokh (tried, but died before sentence could be passed) and Charles Taylor (still being protected by US despite being held guilty by the UN council of perpetrating war crimes) ravaged the innocent populace of Sierra Leone.

Marching on drugs and effective brainwashing, these child warriors adopted aliases like “Killer” and “poison”, and, at times, killed their own parents and perpetrated unspeakable cruelty. The web abounds in the details of the atrocities, which are there for anyone who wishes to know more.

All this bloodshed, torture, pain and suffering unleashed on the poor African nation by wealthy cos, businessmen sitting afar in the comfort of their homes and greedy nations for what? An utterly useless piece of rock called (blood) diamond.

We are all in the same boat…

At the failure of the state in country like Sierra Leone, toppled by external forces, and the world watching silently will surely have implications for all of us.

We have past examples where US has burnt its hands time and again (Saddam, Osama , Afghanistan etc.) by allowing, abetting and stoking despots / global explosive situations to foment as they were far from home(US). The US was feeling safe in the belief that these situations will not affect them.

However the thorns they sowed, did bleed them, and continue to do so. Today they not only affect US (the perpetrator) but the whole world (silent spectator).


No one in today’s world is untouched by happenings elsewhere.

The repercussions of the massive amount of hate and anger this or any other such misery would bring will sooner or later impact all of us, directly or indirectly..


“Diamonds: A girl’s best friend” – Bullshit

Whenever I see ad jingles like these, I feel how a useless (some industrial use is there) piece of rock is made an object of desire (by peer pressure) and ignorant people being misled/duped into paying high prices and craving/desiring for them. Ask any girl why she wants diamonds and the answer would be because someone or the other has one too,

These simple minds, if had realised that the stone goes on causing untold suffering to the very nation of its home. Causing untold pain and suffering to human beings on the other side of the world, they would shudder before touching the cursed stone.

Kimberley process and all the mumbo jumbo are damned. I don’t think I can ever buy a diamond with a clean conscience.

For further reading:

Ø http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/global_crime_report/investigation/soldiers1.shtml

Ø http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2883.html

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