After laughing for a while, Remonin suddenly calmed down.
He looked straight at Li Du and said, "You may have underestimated me, Mr. Li. I can contact them. I have contacted them long ago."
Li Du frowned. Since Remonin could contact major diamond import and export companies, but the other party had not successfully cooperated with him, it could only be that there was something wrong with his diamonds.
He immediately realized that the diamond in Remonin's hand was a blood diamond!
The diamonds produced in Remonin's territory were blood diamonds, or black diamonds in the traditional sense. No wonder he had to go through so much trouble to find a way to deal with these diamonds.
Many people around the world now knew the meaning of blood diamonds. For a long time, diamond mining in many parts of Africa was still the cruelest and most barbaric method of manual mining, and the diamonds were plundered in the most bloody way.
In the process, from digging diamonds to trading, the whole process was bloody, so the diamonds mined were called "blood diamonds."
Li Du had read that in the 21st century, there were still many small diamond mines in sub- Saharan Africa, and about one million people made a living by mining diamonds.
Working in these mines, the miners often did not get paid, only food. In some of the larger mines, there were even generations of miners who worked there, and in return, they only got a meager salary or food to survive.
There was no doubt that this was against morality and human rights law, but it was precisely the white people who had invented this wicked practice in the first place.
Frankly, as the initiators, the white mine owners were unforgivable.
However, over the years, with the increase of reports and the decline of the white dominance in Africa, major European and American companies in African diamond mines had improved their treatment. The miners could get the contract salary, the working conditions were greatly improved, and they did not have to worry about their lives.
Now, African blood diamonds were mainly supplied by local warlords, who had inherited the ferocity and violence of the former white mine owners, and were frantically oppressing the workers in the mines.
Li Du looked up at Remonin and said, "That's a blood diamond in your hand, isn't it?"
Remonin took a small bag from his pocket, opened it, and poured it on the table. A pile of shiny small stones appeared in front of them.
He said, "Blood diamonds? Look, where is the blood? They are white, and should be called snow diamonds, right? "
Li Du said, "You know what I mean. If you produce blood diamonds here, it would be too difficult to help you get rid of them."
No wonder Remonin could not sell his diamonds. In order to curb the blood diamond trade, increase the attractiveness of diamonds, and whitewash them, the World Diamond Committee launched a program called the Kimberley Process in May 2000.
Two years later, the United Nations adopted the "Kimberley Process International Certification Scheme for Rough Diamonds" and began to regulate the African diamond market.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was fundamentally a regulatory system for the import and export of rough diamonds. The producing country was responsible for managing the production and transportation of rough diamonds from the mine to the export site.
Each batch of rough diamonds to be exported would be sealed in a damage-proof container and accompanied by a Kimberley Process certificate issued by the competent authority of the exporting government.
As a result, diamonds cannot enter the market without a certificate issued by a Kimberley Process member.
Mozambique was a sovereign country and had the right to authorize the Kimberley Process International Certificate of Rough Diamonds, but the government would definitely not authorize a warlord like Remonin.
Hearing Li Du's words, Remonin showed an angry expression and said, "I understand what you mean, but this is not fair. This is unfair to me!"
Li Du said calmly, "The appearance of blood diamonds is unfair to human beings."
Remonin sneered and said, "Blood diamonds, blood diamonds, blood diamonds. In your opinion, Africa is still in chaos, and people are still like animals, right?"
His sudden change of topic surprised Li Du. "What do you mean?"
Remonin sat back in his chair and said, "I admit that I did not get government authorization to mine diamonds, but if you say that my diamond mine is a place of bloodshed, then I am very unwilling."
Lion Hunter interrupted and asked, "Li, what do you think of my mine treatment of the workers?"
Although the working conditions of the mines he visited were harsh and depressing, Li Du had to admit that compared to places like Africa, Lion Hunter's mines were very humane.
At least, Lion Hunter had prepared beer for the workers. Although it was expired beer, why would the workers in the mine care? When they left the diamond mine, they might not even have clean water to drink.
Seeing him nod, Lion Hunter said, "You can visit the general's mine. His mine has a better working environment than mine."
Remonin said, "If you are interested, I would be happy to take you to see it. Of course, this will have to wait until you are tired from the journey, right? "
Li Du hesitated for a moment and said, "Thank you for your concern, General. Fortunately, I am not too tired. I would like to visit your mine now."
He did not want to visit. If he did, it would mean that he would have more interaction with Remonin.
However, he was already in Lion Hunter's territory. If he was too tough, he could easily lose his life. It was better to be obedient.
In addition, he was selfish. If there was really no problem with Remonin's mine, he did not mind making a deal with the other party.
Hearing this, Remonin's face lit up. He waved and said, "Come on, I will show you around. Maybe you have a wrong impression of the tribal armed forces in Mozambique. I will take you to the prison first."
Following the dirt road around the mountain, they walked down to the bottom of the hill, where the army's training ground was.
In the southeast of the training ground, there was a building that looked like a farm. It was made of wood on the flat ground and supported by a roof. There was some thatch on the roof to shelter from the rain.
Around the building were armed black soldiers, and there were a few hyenas chained there. It seemed that they were military dogs.
Remonin pointed to the thatched hut and said, "This is my prison. In it are the tribe's thieves, robbers, lawbreakers, and some liars. Damn liars!"
They walked over, and a soldier opened the gate. Li Du could see the situation inside.
It was similar to a farm, but the hygiene was well maintained. There were not many people and there were many beds. It seemed that the security in Remonin's territory was good.
Of course, it was also possible that most of the criminals had been shot and there was no need to lock them up.
As if he had guessed what Li Du was thinking, Remonin smiled and said, "There are at least eight people in each prison room. You see that there are fewer people because I sent them to work digging for diamonds."
When they saw the second room, a white man with messy hair suddenly rushed up and shouted at Li Du, "Help, help me, take me away! Please! "
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
