Movie Review: Blood Diamond

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Hey, how are you?

I am not sure to include this as one of posts (and why am I writing this in English?) but anyway, the one that I'm going to share to you was my masterpiece. This was my assignment for 'International Relations Theory II' class back in my 4th Semester in UIN Syarif Hidayatullah. We were assigned to review a movie called 'Blood Diamond' with International Relations Theory perspectives. I got 95 (yissss). Idk if it was the highest mark, but the lecturer, Ms. Mutiara Pertiwi, she hold my assignment when everyone else's was distributed by one of my classmate. I was confused why mine was not among those paper, and then she called my name, gestured me to come up front and then, she handed me mine and smiles. I got 95!!! I can't believe I got 95!!!!! Woohooo! I was so.... happy! I'm telling you it was the best feeling ever.. I was beaming all the way to my seat bahahahh. Ah, memories.. 

Anyway that was 2011, I am sure when you read this down, my grammar will gives you headache and while I am sure I am not getting any better now, I think I get the hang of it. So, I will fix and edit most of the grammar mistakes for your reading pleasure.. or wait.. Actually, I am going to just write down the original stuffs... word by word just to show you how bad I was and I am in grammar. Yeah, that be great.  So, here is my review about 'Blood Diamond' the movie. Sit back and relax, and have fun reading!

"Blood Diamond in International Relations Perspective"

by: Fitriani D. Kurniasari

       'The Greed of Diamonds' maybe was the suitable expression to express the general cause in 'Blood Diamond' movie. The term of 'blood diamond' was given to the rough diamonds which are originated from the conflict countries that involved in bloody civil war and were banned to export the rough diamonds from these conflict countries to the market, in view of the fact that these diamonds are considered to fuel the civil war.

        One particular country in this case was Sierra Leone. Happened in 1999, the civil war between Relvolutionary United Front (RUF) which existed in 1991 against the government resulted the dreadful impact for the Sierra Leone's citizen. The rough diamonds are needed by the RUF to finance their arms forces and other illegal transaction to survive in the civil war. Then the RUF went to terrorize and looted civilians in every countryside of Sierra Leone in purpose to dominate the diamonds mining, smuggle them and this resulted the massacre if the African population in Sierra Leone for over a decade.

         RUF existence was triggered by the unsatisfied feelings towards the current government that they judged it as corrupt and nonsense. They rebelled against the government. They amputated and executed the civilians so the civilians could not participate in voting for the government. RUF also seized  and burned village by village, they forced recruit the capable man to work at the diamond mining and captured the children to become their army. The children, later known as child soldiers, mostly in the age of 7-15 years old, was paired with weapons as guns, AK-47, grenades, and drugged so they remained manageable.

           Even though RUF existed to rebel agains the government, the market demands of diamonds are so unavoidable. This caused the lasting diamonds smuggle that beneficial to the RUF and the diamonds cartels for so many years. RUF needs the weapons, other needs the diamonds. The business transactions can't be eluding since the profit for both sides are too tempting. From this movie, the actors of the dirty business are varies; it stretch from the RUF, the mercenary, diamonds dealer, the custom office, until the international diamonds cartels and end up to the customers. Once the diamond dealers get the diamonds, it will be brought to the customs office. The dealers will bribe the custom office to change the origin of the diamonds so the blood diamonds could not be tracked. 

"I provide the serve, the world wants that we have. And they want it cheap"

            Danny Archer was one of the examples of a multifunctional actors according to 'Blood Diamonds'. He played both role as the mercenary and also a smuggler. He was hired by the government to fight the RUF. As he couldn't resist the opportunity to be rich and to survive Sierra Leone, he began to smuggle the rough diamonds to the cartels, where he plays the role as the broker too. He set the price and seek the potential buyers. He also deals to facilitate the RUF in purchasing weapons.

                 Danny then met Soloman Vandy in prison. Solomon was a fisherman that was forcedly captured by the RUF to work in the diamonds mining. He lost his family during the RUF's attack. His son was captured to become a child soldier. His wife was left behind but managed to fled to the UN's camp with two of his daughters.  While working in the diamond mining, he accidentally found a large pink diamond. He realized that the large pink diamond was too valuable and could be his only option to find his family so he buried the diamond in the woods so the RUF couldn't find it.

                In the prison, Danny convinced Solomon that he could help him to get his family back. He made a deal with Solomon but the complexity of this agreement arise when he met Maddy Bowen, a journalist who wants to reveal the dirty business of blood diamonds to the world. As Maddy concerned to make Danny as her off record source, Danny troubled himself to death.

                 Then the three of them agreed to cooperate despite their conflicted self interests. As Maddy put it, "You using him," "And you using me, we use each other - that is how it works". Each justified their self interests. With many difficulties, they made their way back to the diamond mining where Solomon buried his diamond. In the end, Danny safrificed himself to save Solomon's son. He realized that he couldn't make it alive so he asked Maddy to help Solomon met the diamond cartel in London. Where he already arranged the meeting and gave Maddy all the information she needs to know to make the blood diamonds story for the world.

                After the big revelation of 'Blood Diamonds' case with its verified proofs, the world finally have the brave action to stop the diamonds fuelled civil war in Sierra Leone. The further actions was employed in help to improve Sierra Leone after the civil war. The United Nations also set policies to forbid any trade involvinh diamonds or valuable stones from conflict countries. Everything was contained in the UN Security Council Resolution #1306 year 2000. The summary rules are: Licensing; Export documentation, procedures for a 'clean channel', and identifying conflict stones at the point of export. And now, after nearly 10 years the 'Blood Diamonds' issue and the civil war has passed, Sierra Leone is now a peaceful country and all of the civilians are living in peace. 

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