Blood Diamond

We finally got a chance to see "Blood Diamond", a movie I strongly recommend. The title, as most of you know, refers to the selling of diamonds that are mined in war zones and exported/sold to finance conflicts. It is extremely difficult to determine after a point in the chain if a diamond is "conflict-free" so the burden rests on the consumer to ask the questions. Of course, the diamond industry has techniques that keep the flow of diamonds restricted, which keeps the price and demand high, which keeps the market open for the dimonds to be sold/exported to finace wars.

The movie is very violent and I've heard several people say they were put off by that. They were right--it is. But I can't help but think that the actual events were even more horrific than what gets portrayed on film. I don't believe that Hollywood movies should be where people get their history or politics. But the movie industry does have the ability to give us really the only glimpse into certain events that we can probably ever have, and when they do it well, I think it can be a powerful lesson. It's beyond my ability to understand how it could be to live under oppressive violence and fear every minute of every day, knowing what would happen to you or your family. The violence is so terrible to watch, but I found the brainwashing of the children into soldiers even more painful, actually--the process of destroying the human-ness of a child in such a calculating manner...

There have been several movies recently that portray these kinds of things in Africa. In all of these movies, the people, the houses, the markets, the villages, all look just like my neighborhood and the places I shop. It has affected me more because I can see what those kinds of events would do to people's lives here.

I asked the teachers at tea yesterday how it was that Tanzania is surrounded by Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Mozambique--all countries who have experienced civil wars, coups, or ongoing violence--yet Tanzania has had nothing remotely like that. Their only experience, really, was the war against Uganda, and the hosting of enormous refugee camps on the Rwandan border. They gave credit to Nyrere, the first president, who they said led them so strongly and so peacefully and who worked to keep one tribe from becoming more powerful or important. They also said that the colonial period here did not involve England or Germany playing one tribe off against another for their own gain, which happened in other countries. They believe that Tanzanians are generally inclined to avoid conflicts, personal and otherwise, making them less likely to be caught up in something.

I don't know--I do know that Tanzania, although poor and struggling in so many ways, is blessed beyond measure by having avoided what has happened to its neighbors. The devastation of war and hate can't be measured. Tanzania is an island of peace in East Africa.

At one point in the movie, Leo DiCaprio wonders if God will ever forgive them for what they've done to each other in Africa. Then he says, "God left Africa long ago." It's a bleak contrast to Solomon Vandy, whose son has been taken by the army, whose family is in refugee camp, and who says, "my son is good, my son will be a doctor." It's obvious throughout most of the film that DiCaprio thinks the guy is a fool for believing. But that faith is evident here every day in every aspect of life. People here who have so little, who have so little control over what happens to them, have tremendous faith that God will provide, will care for them, will deliver them--if not in this life, then in the next. They are a humbling example for those of us who have so much and who have lived in safety all our lives.

If you want to learn more about blood diamonds and their effects on African countries you can read more here.