Blood Diamonds: The Gem's Curse

Precious stones and metals have long held an attraction, sometimes a fatal one. The gem trade is a multi-billion dollar business, and precious stones are a highly prized commodity. This has has helped some countries develop into success stories and has provided sustenance for families in some of the world's poorest countries. But it has also dragged others into despair. The gem trade has been used to finance wars, terrorize civilians and keep despots in power. In this segment of our series, VOA's Sonja Pace looks at the human cost.

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