After laughing, Remonin suddenly grew serious.
He looked at Li Du with honest eyes and said, "You may look down upon me, Mr. Li, but
I can get in touch with them. I already have."
Li Du was frowning. If Remonin could contact any big diamond import and export
company and get a valuation, but the other side did not cooperate successfully with him,
it could only mean that his diamonds were problematic.
The diamonds in his hand must be blood diamonds!
The diamonds on Remonin"s property were blood diamonds, also known as black
diamonds, so no wonder he had trouble selling them off.
Many people around the world already knew the meaning of the term "blood diamonds".
In many parts of Africa, diamond mining has been carried out in the most brutal, b.l.o.o.d.y,
and barbaric way.
This process consisted of unethical practices, from the excavation of diamonds to
exporting them to the international market.
According to what Li Du knew, there were still many small diamond mines in sub-
Saharan Africa, and about a million people depended on diamond-mining for their
livelihood.
The miners often received no payment but food for their work. In some of the larger
mines, entire generations of miners had worked under conditions similar to slavery, for
little to no payment. This corrupt and immoral practice began at the time when
European colonists were not held accountable to anyone and considered the lives of
native people to be dispensable commodities.
However, over the years, as the diamond trade grew more transparent and Europeans
lost some of their dominance in Africa, companies based in Europe and the United
States have improved their treatment of diamond miners in Africa, allowing workers to
receive contract pay and making working conditions safer.
African blood diamonds were now supplied mainly by local warlords, who were equal in
ferocity and violence to the former colonist mine owners, and violently oppressing the
miners.
Li Du looked up at Remonin and said, "You have blood diamonds in your hands, don"t
you?"
Remonin carelessly took a small bag out of his pocket, opened it and threw it on the
table. A pile of s.h.i.+ny stones rolled out.
He said, "Blood diamonds? Do you see any blood? Their color is snow-white, so if
anything, they should be called snow diamonds."
"You know what I mean. If you produce blood diamonds here, it would be very difficult to
sell them off," said Li Du.
In May 2000, the World Diamond Council launched a program called the Kimberley
Process to stem blood diamond trade and make white diamonds more attractive.
Two years later, the United Nations adopted the Kimberley Process International
Certification system for rough diamonds, which began to regulate the diamond market in
Africa.
The Kimberley Process Certification System was basically a supervision system for the
drilling and export of rough diamonds. The country of origin was responsible for the
production and transportation of rough diamonds from the mine to the export site.
Each batch of rough diamonds set for export would be packaged in a damage-proof
container with a Kimberley Process Certificate issued by the competent authority of the
exporting government.
Thus, diamonds could not be marketed without certificates issued by Kimberley Process
members.
Mozambique was a sovereign state and succ.u.mbed to the authority of the Kimberley
Process rough diamond international certificate, and the government certainly wouldn"t
give a warlord such as Remonin the authorization to deal with diamonds.
After hearing Li Du"s words, Remonin showed an angry expression and said, "I know
what you mean, but it"s not fair to me!"
Li Du said calmly, "The production of blood diamonds is unfair to human beings."
"Blood diamonds, blood diamonds! In your eyes, Africa is still a mess. People are still
like animals, isn"t that what you think?" he said with a sneer.
The sudden change of topic surprised Li Du, who said, "what do you mean?"
Remonin sat back in his chair and said, "I admit that I did not get the government"s
permission to mine diamonds, but I am very upset to hear you say that my mine is a
b.l.o.o.d.y place."
The lion hunter interrupted and asked, "Li, what do you think of how workers are treated
in my mines?"
Although the working conditions of the mines Li Du visited were harsh and the work
itself very depressing, he had to admit that the lion hunter"s mines were quite humane
compared to other places in Africa.
At the very least, the lion hunter"s workers had beer. It was expired, but would the
miners care? When they left the diamond mine, they might not even have clean water
to drink.
When he nodded, the lion hunter said, "You can visit the general"s mine. The working
conditions in his mine are better than at my place."
"If you"re interested, I"d be happy to show you around. Of course, this will wait until you
have rested. You must be tired from your, journey tired," said Remonin.
Li Du hesitated and said, "Thank you for your concern, General. Fortunately, we are not
too tired. I would like to go to visit your mine line."
He did not really want to visit the mine and was not keen on having more close contact
with Remonin. However, now that he was in the latter"s territory, it was best to keep on
civil terms.
Moreover, he wouldn"t mind doing business with Remonin if it turned out he did treat his
workers decently.
"Come on. Let me show you around. Maybe you got a wrong impression of our
tribesmen," said Remonin.
They walked along the dirt road around the mountain, down to the bottom of the hill and
the army"s training grounds.
To the southeast of the training grounds, there was what looked like a farm building,
with a raised roof on a flat floor surrounded by wood and covered with gra.s.s to keep out
the rain.
Around the building, there were soldiers with guns. Hyenas were chained to posts,
looking like military dogs.
"This is my prison. Here I keep the thieves, robbers, lawbreakers, and liars of the tribe,"
said Remonin, pointing to the thatched hut.
As they pa.s.sed, a soldier opened the gate and Li Du looked inside.
It was like a cattle shed, but very hygienic. There weren"t many people or many beds,
and it looked like Remonin"s domain was very secure.
Of course, it was also possible that most of the criminals were shot rather than locked
up.
"There are at least eight people in every prison room. You don"t see them all right now
because I sent them to work digging diamonds."
When they opened the door of the second room, a white man with messy hair suddenly
rushed up and shouted to Li Du, "Help, help me, take me away! Please!"