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Sierra West

Sierra Leone Conflict Diamonds

Sierra Leone Diamond History
Sierra Leone diamonds are well-known among the jewelry world to be one of the best quality diamonds available today. This is perhaps the main reason that blood diamonds have wreaked the havoc they have had over so many years. The first diamond was found in Sierra Leone in the 1930s. Since then, a story of brutality and violence has unfolded in this small West African country. In 1968, Siaka Stevens became the prime minister of Sierra Leone. Recognizing the value of their diamonds, he made a large profit out of illegal diamond mining and trading. In the ensuing years, more and more diamonds were being exported illegally rather than through legal means. Most of these transactions were overseen by Stevens'' right hand man Jamil Mohammed, a Lebanese.

Sierra Leone blood diamonds
In 1991, Sierra Leone was thrown into more trouble as the rebel group Revolutionary United Front (RUF) launched assaults against the government. A military government was set up yet proved to be ineffective against the RUF's attacks. From the very beginning, the RUF found an ally in neighboring Liberia. Their goal was officially to combat crime and corruption but it soon became clear that their main aim was to take control of the diamond mines.
Preying on civilians, the RUF would take prisoners and enslave them to work in the diamond mines. This was no fun thing for the civilians as their work conditions were horrible and they were punished for the slightest things. Anyone opposed to the RUF's methods and practices would be brutally punished. Amputation was not an uncommon occurrence.

All this was unknown to - or perhaps ignored by - the outside world for many years. UN studies estimate that about $125 million worth of rough diamonds were bought by the diamond industry in Europe alone! Imagine this much money being used by the RUF to fund their grotesque activities in Sierra Leone. The equivalent of this money is tens of thousands of people killed and even more hurt.

It was only in 1999 that the UN deployed a mission to Sierra Leone to deal with the problem of Sierra Leone Conflcit Diamonds. Since then, sanctions have been put in place so as to curb such illegal activities. The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme requires a paper trail that certifies the origin of rough diamonds. This aims to cut off the flow of diamonds from countries like Sierra Leone.
The question that remains to be answered today is whether the paper trail that accompanies each diamond shipment is for real. Certificates can be forged.

Rough diamonds can be smuggled into a "clean" country. After that, there would be no way of knowing where the gems came from. There is always a willing market somewhere in another country. Traders and buyers don't always ask questions. They are just happy to buy and line their pockets. In an area rife with suffering and poverty, there is always an official who would be willing to accept bribes. All it takes is one person to overlook a shipment of blood diamonds. For all we know, there might still be a steady flow of rough conflict diamonds coming from the mines of Sierra Leone today.

About the Author

Shlomit is a writer for Compucall-usa.com.To learn more about Blood Diamonds please visit:

http://www.stopblooddiamonds.org/

Muslims Praying in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa $24.99 Muslims Praying in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa - Photographic Print

Diamonds From Sierra Leone $10 Diamonds From Sierra Leone - Kanye West

Hotel Sierra Richmond West $139 Hotel Sierra Richmond West > RIC > 11800 W Broad Street > Richmond > VA > 23233>Location. This business friendly property is located in Glen Allen, close to Short Pump Town Center. Features. Hotel Sierra Richmond West has an outdoor pool, a spa tub, and a fitness facility. Business amenities include a business center, complimentary wireless Internet access, and meeting rooms for small groups. Hotel Sierra Richmond West has a bar/lounge. Guests are served a complimentary breakfast each morning. The staff can arrange dry cleaning/laundry services. Additional amenities include a grocery/convenience store, laundry facilities, and coffee in the lobby. This is a smoke free property (fines may apply for violations). Guestrooms. Amenities featured in guestrooms include air conditioning, coffee/tea makers, and complimentary newspapers. In addition, amenities available on request include wake up calls. Guestrooms have flat panel televisions with premium TV channels and pay movies. Business friendly amenities include complimentary high speed (wired) Internet access, complimentary wireless Internet access, and desks. Bathrooms feature bathrobes, designer toiletries, and hair dryers. Notifications:Guests must be at least 21 years old to check in at this property. Rollaway beds are not available. There are no room charges for children 18 years old and younger who occupy the same room as their parents or guardians, using existing bedding. Onsite parking is free for guests only for the duration of their stay. Additional fees and deposits may be charged by the property at time of service, check in, or check out. >

Three Men Horseback Riding West in Sierra Nevada Mountains $79.99 Ralph Crane Three Men Horseback Riding West in Sierra Nevada Mountains - Premium Photographic Print

Women of the Sierra $3.95 These heart-warming stories share the rich and difficult lives of the female pioneers who fought for independence in the male-dominated Sierra. Each woman was unique-- all contributed to the taming of the West.

Shaping the Sierra $39.95 The rural west is at a crossroads, and the Sierra Nevada is at the center of this social and economic change. The Sierra Nevada landscape has always been valued for its bounty of natural resource commodities, but new residents and an ever-growing flood of tourists to the area have transformed the relationship between the region's nature and its culture. In an engaging narrative that melds the personal with the professional, Timothy P. Duanewho grew up in the areadocuments the impact of rapid population growth on the culture, economy, and ecology of the Sierra Nevada since the late 1960s. He also recommends innovative policies for mitigating the negative effects of future population growth in this spectacular but threatened region, as well as throughout the rural west. Today, the primary social and economic values of the Sierra Nevada landscape are in the amenities and ecological services provided by its wildlands and functioning ecosystems. Duane shows how further unfettered population growth threatens the very values which have made the Sierra Nevada a desirable place to live and work. A new approach to land use planning, resource management, and local economic developmentone that recognizes the emerging values of the landscapeis necessary in order to achieve sustainable development, Duane claims. Weaving personal experience with outstanding scholarship, he shows how such an approach must explicitly recognize the importance of values and the application of an environmental land ethic to future development in the area.

History of Sierra Leone $100.37 History of Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Civil War, Sierra Leon, West Africa, Caribbean, Charles II of England, Bunce Island, History of slavery, Highland Clearances, Sierra Leone Peoples Party, Military of Sierra Leone, Revolutionary United Front. Author: Miller, Frederic P./ Vandome, Agnes F./ McBrewster, John Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 160 Publication Date: 2010/07/25 Language: English Dimensions: 5.98 x 9.01 x 0.37 inches

Sierra South: Backcountry Trips in California's Sierra Nevada $19.04 This completely revised and updated 8th edition of Sierra South now covers an expanded region of the Sierra, from the southern boundary of Yosemite National Park to southern Golden Trout Wilderness. With new trips and old favorites, Sierra South is the classic guide to backpacking in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, Ansel Adams Wilderness, and Mt. Whitney. Contains 84 trips, ranging from 2 days to 2 weeks, organized from west to the east side of the Sierra and around major highway sections for easier use and reference.

Sierra De Los Oragnos Mountains Near Vinales, Cuba, West Indies, Caribbean, Central America $24.99 Hellier Gavin Sierra De Los Oragnos Mountains Near Vinales, Cuba, West Indies, Caribbean, Central America - Photographic Print

A Dirty War in West Africa: The RUF and the Destruction of Sierra Leone $29.43 "Provides important insider information concerning Sierra Leone's recent war... and builds on the author's] established reputation as an insightful and courageous journalist." -- William Reno, Northwestern University A Dirty War in West Africa recounts Lansana Gberie's harrowing experiences as a journalist during the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone. Since 1991, this West African nation has been brought to its knees by a series of coups, violent conflicts, and finally, outright war. The war has ended today, but it is clear that things are hardly settled. Focusing on the group spearheading the violence, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Gberie exposes the corruption and appalling use of rape and mutilation as tactics to overthrow the former government. Gberie looks closely at the rise of the RUF and its ruthless leader, Foday Sankoh, as he seeks to understand the personalities and parties involved in the war. This sobering and powerful account reveals the domestic and international consequences of the Sierra Leone conflict.

Sierra Leonean Society: Demographics of Sierra Leone, Ethnic Groups in Sierra Leone, Human Rights in Sierra Leone, Languages of Si $24.93 Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Demographics of Sierra Leone, Ethnic Groups in Sierra Leone, Human Rights in Sierra Leone, Languages of Sierra Leone, Law Enforcement in Sierra Leone, Organizations Based in Sierra Leone, Religion in Sierra Leone, Fula People, English Language, Temne People, Mende People, Mandinka People, Sierra Leone Creole People, Mandingo People of Sierra Leone, Krio Language, Susu People, Kono People, Human Trafficking in Sierra Leone, Lebanese People in Sierra Leone, Yalunka People, Sherbro People, Tinga Seisay, Limba People, Kissi People, Kuranko People, Fula People of Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Police, Vai, Loko People, Poro, Temne Language, Kamajors, Solomon G. Seisay, Maninka, Aku People, Elizabeth Simbiwa Sogbo-Tortu, Mende Language, Hinduism in Sierra Leone, Kono Language, Sherbro Language, Prostitution in Sierra Leone, the Visao Foundation, Yalunka Language, Klao Language, Amputees and War Wounded Association, Bullom Languages, Sierra Leone Red Cross Society, Loko Language. Excerpt: English is a West Germanic language that arose in England and south-eastern Scotland in the time of the Anglo-Saxons. Following the economic, political, military, scientific, cultural, and colonial influence of Great Britain and the United Kingdom from the 18th century, and of the United States since the mid 20th century, it has been widely dispersed around the world, become the leading language of international discourse, and has acquired use as lingua franca in many regions. It is widely learned as a second language and used as an official language of the European Union and many Commonwealth countries, as well as in many world organisations. Historically, English originated from several dialects, now collectively termed Old English, which were brought to the easte... More: http://booksllc.net/?id=8569916

Foods of Sierra Leone and Other West African Countries: A Cookbook $49.7 Foods of Sierra Leone and other West African countries is a unique cookbook focusing on West African foods many of which have a global appeal. It is loaded with overwhelming details about these foods as well as interesting personal food stories that will delight children and adults alike. In addition, the book exposes the reader to many delectably tasty recipes for dishes like joloff rice, various soups and stews, the fascinating groundnut soups and stews, the delicious cassava leaf sauce, okra sauces, beans sauces, other mixed sauces and many more including vegetarian variations of some of the sauces. Food lovers will learn how traditionally Western vegetables like spinach, collard green, swiss chard and many others can be cooked using West African recipes. All these are lavishly presented by a West African national who was born and brought up in the region, and has lived in the region cooking and eating these foods for more than 50 years.

Sierra Leone $20.2 This is the only guide, in any language, devoted solely to Sierra Leone. Armed conflict ended here in 2002; while still poor, the country is safe and offers tremendous opportunities for English-speaking travellers. This guide gives details and maps of its miles of palm-fringed beaches that are among the best in West Africa. It covers deep-sea fishing and wreck diving, snorkelling, canoeing and white-water rafting. It tells travellers how to island hop between Plantain Island, Banana Islands and Turtle Islands, and provides maps of hiking trails into the Nimini Hills, Bora Mountains and Gola Forest. Wildlife enthusiasts will learn where to see rare pygmy hippos, dwarf crocodiles, whales, lions and elephants; while cultural tourists are led to slaving landmarks including Bunce Island, site of the former slave fortress, and the funky city of Freetown.

Nadine Sierra $70.1 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Nadine Sierra is an American operatic soprano. On February 21, 2009, she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Finals in New York. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, she trained The Mannes College of Music and Marilyn Hornes Music Academy of the West, where she the youngest person ever to receive the Marilyn Horne Foundation Award. She became a Young Artist with the Palm Beach Opera when she was 14 and made her operatic debut there two years later as the Sandman in Humperdincks Hansel and Gretel. She also appeared on the National Public Radio program From the Top when she was 15 performing O, mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi. She was invited back to From the Top in 2010, show taped in Burlington, Vermont, with commentary by Marilyn Horne. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Tennoe, Mariam T./ Henssonow, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 76 Publication Date: 2010/09/17 Language: English Dimensions: 6.00 x 9.02 x 0.18 inches

West $6.49 West

West Indians in West Africa, 1808-1880: The African Diaspora in Reverse $98.76 An examination of the trans-oceanic migration of West Indians from the Caribbean to Sierra Leone in the decades following the abolition of slavery in the British colonies in 1807. The West Indians who immigrated to Sierra Leone during this period came to occupy many positions in the colonial government of the colony, and, in time, they were an important (although not always liked) minority.

Ski & Snowboard California's Sierra Nevada $7.99 Explore forty alpine resorts, snowboarding parks, Nordic touring centers, and other backcountry winter sports playgrounds throughout California's Sierra Nevada - including Northern California, Lake Tahoe, Central Sierra East Side, Central Sierra West Side, and Southern California. Containing lively, descriptive text, maps, historical information, activity guides, and more, Ski & Snowboard California's Sierra Nevada is ideal for families, travelers, and skiers and snowboarders of every ability. Features: Comprehensive trail descriptions, from beginner to advanced. Sweeping snowboard park and halfpipe roundups. Other winter sports and adventures. Extensive lodging, dining, travel tips, maps, and information for each resort and ski area.

Sierra Leone Krio $82.85 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles The Sierra Leone Krio, Sierra Leone Creole, or Krios, are an ethnic group in Sierra Leone, descendants of West Indian slaves from the Caribbean, primarily from Jamaica, and freed black American slaves from the United States, which landed in Freetown between 1792 and 1855 (or possibly as late as 1860). All of the above listed peoples often originated in places in modern Nigeria and other parts of the socalled Slave Coast, with quite a few of them being from Yoruba areas. Krios also intermarried with Educated Africans (or blacks and mixed race individuals) from the surrounding coasts of West Africa. They make up about 5.4 of the Sierra Leones total population (about 377,003 people), and they live primarily in the capital Freetown and its surrounding Western Area. Author: Miller, Frederic P./ Vandome, Agnes F./ McBrewster, John Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 120 Publication Date: 2010/12/12 Language: English Dimensions: 6.00 x 9.02 x 0.28 inches

Bradt Sierra Leone (Paperback) $38.67 Sierra Leone is about the size of South Carolina and manages to squeeze beaches, rainforests, mountains, savanna grasslands, marshes, mangrove swamps and rivers into its relatively small size. This new edition of Sierra Leone invites you to explore the hidden beaches on the country`s Atlantic coast, climb to the top of Mount Bintumani, west Africa`s highest peak, learn about magical customs, and experience world-class bird-watching.

Exploring the Eastern Sierra: California & Nevada $7.9 The unparalleled scenery of the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Range offers countless inviting landscapes. From the 14,000-foot peaks of the Sierra Crest, sublime Death Valley National Park, trails that lead to gemlike mountain lakes, Yosemite National Park's flower-carpeted Tuolumne Meadows, Mono Lake's eerietufa towers, and the high-desert ghost town of Bodie to Lake Tahoe's turquoise waters and Nevada's rich historic silver country, the Eastern Sierra beckons to all who love the outdoors. "Exploring the Eastern Sierra begins with a geologic and geographic overview of the Sierra, then follows a south-to-north itinerary along Highway 395, passing 14,494-foot Mt. Whitney and the steep escarpment of the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada ("The Snowy Range") through historic independence, scenic Bishop, and the resort destinations of Mammoth Lakes and June Lake. The journey continues north to the living inland sea of Mono Lake, across the Bridgeport Valley, over high mountain passes, and around Lake Tahoe. West of Tahoe, Nevada offers the peace of Pyramid Lake and the charms of historical mining boomtown Virginia City. Side trips east to Death Valley and west to Yosemite are included, as well as insights into the work of regional writers John Muir, Mary Austin and mountaineer Norman Clyde.

Wildflowers of the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley $14.82 A photographic guide to 200 wildflower species from the Central Valley near Sacramento, west up to the peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Each species has at least one photograph, a description and notes on its distribution, native and modern uses, and similar species.

Sierra $6.99 S. Brooke Anderson Sierra - Art Print

USS Sierra (Ad18) $79.66 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles USS Sierra (AD18) was a destroyer tender that served with the US Navy during World War II through to the 1990s. The second USN ship to bear the name, Sierra was laid down on 31 December 1941 by the Tampa Shipbuilding Company of Tampa, Florida; launched on 23 February 1943; and commissioned on 20 March 1944, Capt. P. B. Koonce in command. Sierra completed fitting out at Tampa and, on 13 April, sailed for Hampton Roads, Virginia, via Key West, arriving there on 18 April. The next day, she began a 10day shakedown cruise in the Chesapeake Bay area and a subsequent yard availability period in the Norfolk Navy Yard from 28 April to 17 May. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Tennoe, Mariam T./ Henssonow, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 120 Publication Date: 2010/09/09 Language: English Dimensions: 6.00 x 9.02 x 0.28 inches

A High Sierra Christmas $14.98 A High Sierra Christmas is a tale of the West, narrated in the 'old west' style. It's a story of Jeremiah Johnson and his 'later in life' adventures in the High Sierra-Nevada mountain range. Two old cowboys, looking for gold, seek out Johnson and ask him to guide them to their dreams in the rugged High Sierra. In this fireside story, Jeremiah and his Indian friend, John Windwalker, embark on that adventure with Jeremiah's visiting young nieces, Carrie and Hannah, and his nephew, Marc. The group embarks on a difficult journey up the east side of the majestic, white granite range, headed toward Mineral King on its western slopes. But, when the bank in Big Pine is robbed, three lawless men in their getaway head up the trail right behind them. What happens next is a long way from what you might expect. You'd best saddle up and ride along Mark Stephen Taylor is the award-winning author of Hiking the Trail of Truth, Knowing God through His Creation, published by Xulon Press in February 2009. A retired California peace officer, educated in criminal psychology, geology, and now a Biblical teacher and counselor, Mr. Taylor has spent many years exploring the wonders of the American Southwest. His experiences and knowledge have produced a unique style of writing that is appreciated by both the educated and the common among us. He has climbed the highest of our western mountains and camped in our lowest deserts. He has spent time among the Native Americans and learned much about the creation and its wildlife through their counsel. Encouraged by his mother as a boy to create a western story, he now makes a dream come true and gives us a bit of fiction and reality in this truly inspiring narrative of the old west.

Shaping the Sierra: Nature, Culture, and Conflict in the Changing West $38.95 No Synopsis Available

Women and Leadership in West Africa $95 This book examines women and leadership in West Africa, with a special focus on Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leonethe Mano River Union countries. These countries have traditions of indigenous female leadership in executive positions in varying degrees, andall three have a tradition of organizations that form important power bases for women.

Monetary and Financial Integration in West Africa $155 Details the progress, challenges faced, and potential of the project intended to create a West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) between Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. This book is suitable for those who are interested in economic development in West Africa, and indeed in Africa as a whole.

How the West Was Won (Unabridged) $18.39 They came by river and by wagon train, braving the endless distances of the Great Plains and the icy passes of the Sierra Nevada....

Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada $24.13 The Shelf2life History of the American West Collection is a unique project that provides opportunities for researchers and new readers to easily access and explore works which have previously only been available on library shelves. The Collection brings to life pre-1923 titles focusing on a wide range of topics and experiences in US Western history. From the initial westward migration, to exploration and development of the American West to daily life in the West and intimate pictures of the people who inhabited it, this collection offers American West enthusiasts a new glimpse at some forgotten treasures of American culture. Encompassing genres such as poetry, fiction, nonfiction, tourist guides, biographies and drama, this collection provides a new window to the legend and realities of the American West.

West Of The West $10.49 West Of The West

West is West $13.99 West is West

West Is West $26.99 West Is West

Sierra Leone's Refugee all Stars (DVD) $29.82 The civil war that raged in Sierra Leone from 1991-2002 left a swath of destruction and tragedy in its wake. This film documents the incredible story of six Sierra Leonean refugees who, after fleeing to the Republic of Guinea, formed a musical group that brought relief and entertainment to thousands of refugees, as well as bringing the West African predicament to the attention of the world at large.