Blood on my hands

 

 

 

IT
Is noT

Just a geM

It is a  fundinG

Of arms... it is a profiT

Of poor labour... an awfuL

Transgression of justice, it is thE

Indifference  of the  dream merchantS

A sobering truth of Africa's plighT

It is a debasement of innocencE

A destruction of a countrY

About ethical choiceS

About smearinG

Blood on ouR

HandS

!!

 

 When we decided to go to the theatre last night to watch ‘Blood Diamond’, I never had any inkling of what the movie was about.‘ Leonardo De Caprio acts in it Mummy’ my daughter said excitedly. Having completely been submerged in his early movie of titanic proportions, this seemed reason enough. As the movie progressed, it dawned on me that this was no love story. Instead it was a sophistic lesson of gigantic proportions intended to educate the ignorant ‘us’. What was unfolded, albeit in a fictitious form, were the atrocities of the illegal diamond trade- the behind-the-scenes ugly reality of the rich global diamond merchants that prey on the natural resources of a poor country. It was about the rightful owners living in relocations camps after diamonds were discovered in their traditional lands. It was a soulless exploitation of human lives in a country already despoiled of its ivory, rubber, gold, oil, coltan (used in cell-phones) and diamonds. It was a debasing of humanity. And the message stood out loud and clear- that when any such resources are discovered, it always comes with a cost. And the price usually is the life of the locals.

 The film is about a civil war where some locals terrorize the other half into recruiting them into their own diamond camps. The strongest amongst them are chosen for work and the youngest is forced to convert to their cause by becoming child warriors. The rest are simply maimed for life by their hands being mercilessly chopped off. The question is will our ethical awareness increase after watching this movie? Will we feel morally culpable for the fact that on the purchase of every diamond for our fingers, we are also accountable for a few African hands? (Although most of the diamonds are smuggled in the West, India being the third largest in diamond trade, a few rough stones are also smuggled in here). Will we ever spare a thought for those measly one-dollar-a-day wage earners whose backbreaking job entails billions of dollars of corporate profit? Is it okay to look the other way knowing fully well that the money from the sale of these diamonds is indirectly funding the arms used in African wars?

 

 What pinches most is the fact that cordoned off in a world of our own little problems, I was not even aware of this chilling reality of an appalling link. Of diamond smuggling and terrorism! In fact in the end of the movie there is an unnerving declaration which boldly states that even now there are about 200 thousand child soldiers in Africa. And that a few years ealier the Kimberly Process was signed to stem the flow of diamonds from one country to another. Yet the conflict stones continue to be smuggled. By soldiers of fortune and smugglers who in turn are linked to reputed firms. It is disgusting that the politics for these 'Blood Diamonds' as they are called, is so deep that some of the developing worlds are totally browbeaten by the Super powers. Can monetary gains be totally replaced by human elements?

To quote the American journalist in the film, the one who is bent upon exposing the top shots- 'Yes, we might write about it, read about it, cry about it, perhaps even sign a cheque or two, then what? Can anyone stop it?' There is also another dialogue in the film that is pretty impressive. 'The colour of the earth is so red', the hero says as he trickles the red African earth through his fingers, 'because it is seeped in the blood of wars'. I sometimes wonder how long it will take for this seepage to leak into the entire global scenario.

 

 The first time my husband presented me with a sparkle that promised to last forever, was on our tenth wedding anniversary. We were at Kualalumpur, in one of the grandest Malls on an ‘illuminating’ shopping spree. Even when I resisted Shanker insisted. He could afford it now, he said lovingly. As I slipped it into my ring finger, I was reminded of Marilyn Monroe and of how ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’. The stones caught the light and there were a million sparkles. It felt like I had the world in my hands.

 

 Last night in the theatre, I had a different kind of illumination. In the interval, halfway through watching ‘Blood Diamond’, I again glanced at the ring. No doubt something was glistening. However this time I was reminded of Lady Macbeth. For this time it felt like I had blood on my hands. I may be careful in future never to add another drop to it. But can I be altruistic enough to completely wipe it off my hand? 

 

  Nargis Natarajan