Sierra Leone Diamonds

In Early October, I participated in a panel discussion on Understanding Genocide. The Genocide Conference was hosted by the fabulous, socially conscious and truly wonderful law students at Vermont Law School. We discussed various issues affecting countries that have been affected by Genocide. I spoke about the civil war in Sierra Leone, the rampant use of Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone and other war torn countries and the ways in which we can heal by applying the tools of restorative justice... Read Full Story

(Adds first convictions for peacekeeper attacks, forced marriage) By Christo Johnson FREETOWN, Feb 25 (Reuters) - A U.N.-backed court for Sierra Leone convicted three rebel chiefs on Wednesday of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the country's 1991-2002 civil war, including the first ever convictions for forced marriage. The war saw bands of rebels including drug-crazed child soldiers kill, rape or chop the hands off innocent villagers in a conflict fuelled and financed by gems... Read Full Story

Potential defence witnesses in the trial of Charles Taylor are reluctant to give evidence for fear of being stigmatised for supporting the former Liberian president, his attorney said on Thursday. "We are being constrained in obtaining witnesses as they fear being stigmatised," Taylor's chief defence lawyer Courtenay Griffiths told reporters on a visit to Sierra Leone. "The trial against Mr Charles Taylor is political in nature." The prosecution case against Taylor for war crimes wound up in... Read Full Story

Warning: This Video contains violence The people of Kono, Sierra Leone have experienced the horrors of civil war and blood diamonds. Mohammed Dabo shares his story. From the series Diamond Road, produced by Kensington Communications Inc. (www.kensingtontv.com). Copyright 2007. To see more clips of Mohammed and the people of Sierra Leone, visit http://www.diamondroad.tv Sierra Leone diamonds are well-known among the jewelry world to be one of the best quality diamonds available today. This is... Read Full Story

Every now and then, I do a post on charity. As you know, Boutique Mix is sponsoring a two-year long Rebuilding Sierra Leone one child at a Time Pledge Campaign to raise money for education for children in Sierra Leone. Thankfully, Boutique Mix is not the only entity that seeks to improve the lives of these innocent children. Join Boutique Mix in the Rebuilding Sierra Leone one child at a Time Pledge Campaign . Yesterday, the Women’s Coalition for Empowerment and Opportunities held a fabulous... Read Full Story

In KOIDU, Sierra Leone. The tiny stone settled into the calloused grooves of Tambaki Kamanda’s palm, its dull yellow glint almost indiscernible even in the noontime glare.It was the first stone he had found in days, and he expected to get little more than a dollar for it. It hardly seemed worth it, he said — after days spent up to his haunches in mud, digging, washing, searching the gravel for diamonds. Farming had brought no money for clothes or schoolbooks for his two wives and five... Read Full Story

The Israel Diamond Institute (IDI) continued its global-outreach mission last week, when IDI Managing Director Eli Avidar met with the newly elected president of the now-peaceful Sierra Leone. The meeting between Avidar and Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma took place in Freetown, the country's capital. Avidar invited Koroma to be a keynote speaker at the Third International Rough Diamond Conference, scheduled for Feb. 11-12 in Tel Aviv, Israel. According to the IDI, Koroma plans to make "every effort... Read Full Story

It became clear that in our poor country the chief hurdles were getting the chemicals and the right equipment. The search was on for the chemicals and after quite a treasure hunt and more than a few bribes we managed to find 4 litres of Methanol and 5 kilos of Potassium Hydroxide (enough to make a good bomb I think)... ...Actually the whole scene was quite amusing. Here we were hoping to compete with the big oil producers in the back yard of a small village and using an untried... Read Full Story

EUROPA NEWSWIRE. Photo by Shawn Eggert. USCGC LEGARE, At Sea - Crewmembers from U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Legare, along with representatives from Sierra Leone's Armed Forces Maritime Wing, Fisheries ministry and Office of National Security, conducted a joint boarding operation on a Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessel suspected of fishing illegally off the coast of Freetown, Sierra Leone, Aug. 17. The crew of the fishing vessel, Yu Feng, was found without a license to fish within Sierra Leone's... Read Full Story

Posted by news 3 hours ago ( http://www.africanews.com ) View profile Category : News The US embassy in Sierra Leone has condemned the recent clashes between the ruling All People's Congress (APC) and the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) in the capital Freetown which leaves many injured, raped and the official vehicle of the SLPP Secretary General, Joseph J. Saffa, burnt down. Last weekend... Read Full Story