The Ethical Issues in the Movie - Blood Diamond

Question 1: The Ethical Issues in the Movie

The “Blood Diamond” movie is all about the diamonds known as conflict diamonds or blood diamonds which are used to finance civil/rebel wars in Africa. These diamonds are smuggled and sold by the rebel and terrorists in Africa to businessmen out of Africa to get money for financing their revolution to the government during the Africa civil war. As a result, so many unethical behaviours involved.

The first ethical issue we would like to highlight is cruelty of the rebel party known as RUF (Revolutionary United Front). The plot of the story starts when the RUF attacks the town where the main character; Solomon, and his family live, and starts shooting civilians. Most of the young boys and the men are captured. The captured boys who are innocent at first are beaten and brainwashed by the RUF. For example, the RUF brainwashed the children by saying “No one has ever given you respect.. but with this (a gun) in your hand, they go fear you. If you do not get the respect you deserve.. you will take it by shedding their blood. Repeat after me, ‘Shed Their Blood’.” And then, the children are forced to repeat saying “shed their blood” while blindfolded.

The children minds are also poisoned with praise. For example, Dia Vandy, the son of the main character; Solomon, was approached by one of the RUF and told “You are promoted to the rank of captain” and “Dia Vandy…Boss Man” because of the so-called courage shown by Dia when he pulls the trigger of a gun and is unaware that he kills a man as he is blindfolded. Another thing is, the children are exposed to violent acts such as smashing a car, shooting a gun, and also to drugs and alcohol.

All these unethical behaviours are done in order to turn the innocent children into heartless child soldiers. Consequently, they completely forgot their family, upbringings, and no longer care what is wrong or right. They become ruthless child soldiers when in fact they do not opt to become one at the first place. For example, they themselves shoot and kill civilians without hesitation when the RUF raids another town. The movie shows viewers how these children are transformed from goods boys into brainwashed, numbed and unfeeling soldiers which is a really sad thing.

While the young boys are kidnapped to be turned into child soldiers, the men are captured to mine diamonds and treated like slaves. They are separated from their family and forced to do the mining while being supervised by the RUF people that hold a gun. The RUF kills the men without consciousness and hesitation. For example, the RUF shoots a man who finds a small diamond and hides it in his mouth without giving a chance for the man to defend himself.  

The next ethical issue is ethical behaviour. Solomon discovers a large diamond at the mine and buries it. Right after that, the army strikes the mine. The RUF and the labours are arrested, including Solomon, to be jailed in the capital. Archer who is jailed in the same jail earlier due to a diamond smuggling that has gone wrong, finds out about Solomon’s diamond. He then arranges for Solomon’s release and wishes to help Solomon to find his family since he has his own self-interest which is to get the diamond for himself. However, viewers are shown how the behaviour of Danny Archer changes as the movie progresses. After what they have gone through, Archer finally forgets about his self-interest and sides with Solomon against his bad boss. He helps Solomon to unite with his son; Dia. Finally, he sacrifices his own spot on the small plane when the enemy is right on their tail to enable Solomon and Dia escape from the enemy with the diamond.