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Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Asia Pacific World Search Search: For Sierra Leone diamond mine kids, school is worth a gem AFP - Wednesday, December 24 KOIDU, Sierra Leone (AFP) - - Under the watchful eye of security guards, boys and girls dig for diamonds in illegal mines of eastern Sierra Leone to pay for their own schooling and put food on the table. Some children as young as 10 walk several kilometres a day to attend school and work in dilapidated mining pits under scorching heat, lured by money from mine owners who keep the gems. "We provide the money and get these boys to work for their living. Is it not a fair deal?" said the Senegalese owner of one mine. Government figures put the number of under-age miners at over 600, but experts here say the real number could be three times higher. "We work on commission where we go to the pits after school and get about 3,000 leones (one dollar, 0.75 euros) after four to five hours work digging and sifting for diamonds," a 10-year-old girl told AFP. "For us this is a huge sum. It gets us by to pay school fees, buy textbooks and have meals for a couple of days." Many of the kids in the mines are working to pay for their schooling, said social welfare worker Mariama Sesay. "We have been trying to get them off the mines but so far it has been an uphill struggle. The illegal miners are tempting them with money and promising them paradise on Earth," she said, shaking her head in disgust. Many of the children do not dare to speak to strangers "for fear of losing their job," she said. The child miners are watched by illegal guards who keep a close eye on them to make sure they do not hide or swallow the gems they find. "We work in a gang of mostly seven to 12 year olds. Sometimes we find diamonds, but these are quickly snatched from us by the guards," said Lansana, a 10-year-old who says he is already a veteran miner of two years. "We get nothing from the sales. We are told we are employed only to dig and sift. Whatever is found is no concern of ours." Although child labour is illegal in Sierra Leone, the legislation is poorly enforced and the police can sometimes be bribed. Many of the children also say that they must work because their families are simply too poor to support them. "I would go to bed hungry if I miss one day (of digging)," said Momodu, who goes to the Islamic secondary school in Koidu. "My father died during the civil war (in 2000) and my mother resides in Kenema (also in the east), but she is poor and could not pay my school fees. I decided to come to Koidu so that I can earn some money." An estimated 120,000 people were killed and thousands more had their limbs hacked off in Sierra Leone's gruesome 1991-2001 civil war, which was fuelled by so-called "blood diamonds" used to pay for weapons. Sierra Leone is among the participants of the Kimberley Process, an international initiative that requires members to certify shipments of rough diamonds as "conflict-free". Momodu walks six kilometres (four miles) from his house in the small town of Sefadu to Koidu every day to attend classes in the morning. "I am always tired and sleep mostly during classes. After school, I take off my school uniform and head for the mines wearing tattered clothes," he said. "It's an ordeal. Sometimes, there are tragedies. The pits would cave in and some of my friends would be buried by the avalanche." The illegal mine owners pay hush money to the children to stop them reporting such accidents, he said. "At other times, the police will raid the mines, arrest some of us but the mine owners will buy out our release," Momodu said. The government of Sierra Leone has teamed up with international organisations such as the International Rescue Commission (IRC) to try to get the children out of the mines, but the task is difficult. "The initiative is designed to help kids attend school regularly, but regrettably many of them still sneak to the mines," said an IRC worker who requested anonymity. Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Recommend this article Average (0 votes) Sign in to recommend this article » Most Recommended Stories » Related Articles: Entertainment & Lifestyle Jazz pianist-singer Page Cavanaugh dies at 86AP - 2 hours 10 minutes ago ESPN's `Monday Night Football' leads cable ratingsAP - 2 hours 26 minutes ago 'Oh, yeah?' It's not Christmas in Sweden without Donald DuckAFP - Thursday, December 25 Dance, dance, dance! Obama will have 10 partiesAP - Thursday, December 25 Christmastime is Nazi time at the movie theaterAP - Thursday, December 25 Enlarge Photo View of a diamond mine in 2003 outside Freetown, Sierra Leone. Under the watchful eye of security guards, boys and girls dig for diamonds in illegal mines of eastern Sierra Leone to pay for their own schooling and put food on the table. Most Popular – Entertainment Viewed US economy shrinks as IMF warns of Great Depression Housing market feels more pain, bottom not yet in sight French investor takes life after massive losses in Madoff scandal Quake zone hero pig named China's animal of the year Actress Jennifer Aniston appears naked in GQ magazine View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular

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