Gem Dealers Are “Screwed” By Artisan Miners All The Time
Introduction:
In the gathering information about the artisanal gemstone mining sector, a European gemstone dealer emailed me with this comment. This post really isn’t directly connected to either Mohamed or Jim, yet I decided to include it anyway.
It points to why we need some kind of new structure that will break the post colonial cycle based on exploitation and greed. The person commented here wished to remain anonymous, but has had decades of gemstone trading experience in both Africa and South America.
This short post is the last in a series of five consecutive posts covering the issue of artisanal gemstone mining from a macro perspective of two people in the field. ~ Marc Choyt, Editor
“What no one seems to understand is that EVERY one of the dealers ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD will sell you synthetic or misrepresented goods ANY TIME they get the chance. I’ve been screwed by guys I’ve known for years in Africa and South America. All these people trying to enhance artisanal miner’s lives need to understand they are not always innocent, poor people. They have robbed “foreign dealers” as often as “foreign dealers” have robbed them. That is something all these Madison/Eco-minerals/CASM and all the other NGOs will never understand.”
