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Cambridge English Readers

Level 1

Series editor: Philip Prowse

Blood Diamonds

Richard MacAndrew

CAMBRIDGEUNIVERSITY PRESS

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao Paulo

Cambridge University PressThe Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK

Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York

www.cambridge.orgInformation on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521536578

Cambridge University Press 2005

This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision ofrelevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take placewithout the written permission of Cambridge University Press.

First published in print format 2005

ISBN-13 978-0-511-14143-0 eBook (Adobe Reader)

ISBN-IO 0-511-14143-2 eBook (Adobe Reader)

ISBN-13 978-0-521-53657-8 paperbackISBN-IO 0-521-53657-x paperback

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www.cambridge.orgwww.cambridge.org/9780521536578

Contents

Chapter 1 A front-page story 5Chapter 2 Meeting Van Delft 9Chapter 3 A second meeting 13Chapter 4 Sophie Lafon 17Chapter 5 Devon 22Chapter 6 On the beach 26Chapter 7 Guns and diamonds 29

People in the story

Harley Kirkpatrick: a journalistAnnie Shepherd: a journalistErik Van Delft: a businessmanSophie Lafon: owner of a jewellery shop

3

Chapter 1 A front-page story

'We're on the front page,' said Annie Shepherd. She smiledat Harley Kirkpatrick, and gave him a coffee and that day'sDaily Post.

Kirkpatrick looked at the front page of the newspaper.His name and Shepherd's were there. It was their firstfront-page story. He felt good. Four and a half millionpeople bought the Daily Post every day. He drank a littlecoffee and read the story quickly.

Blood diamondsby H. Kirkpatrick and A. Shepherd

Diamonds are important from the guns. In Angolafor a number of countries in the 1990s bloodin Africa. Diamonds buy diamonds made US$3.7food and doctors; they billion in five years. Thatgive people work, and help money bought a lot ofthem get money. But in guns. And in Angola in thesome countries people 1990s a lot of people diedbuy guns with the because of these guns,diamonds. We call these The United Nations isdiamonds 'blood diamonds' trying to stop bloodbecause many people die diamonds.

5

'A good start to a Wednesday morning,' said Shepherd.'A front-page story.'

Kirkpatrick looked up.'Yes,' he said. 'Blood diamonds is an important story.''Yes,' she replied. And I've got a new story about them.'Kirkpatrick and Shepherd worked well together.

Kirkpatrick went out and asked people questions. Shepherdworked in the office; she used the computer and the Internet.

'Tell me about it,' he said.Shepherd smiled at him again. She was twenty-seven

years old, with short light brown hair and dark brown eyes.She wore blue jeans and a white shirt.

'Come over to my computer and have a look,' she said.Kirkpatrick went over and looked at a photograph of a

man on Shepherd's computer. The man's hair and eyeswere dark. He wore dark trousers, a jacket and a tie andhad a black bag in one hand.

6

'This is Erik Van Delft,' said Shepherd. 'He's thirty-sixyears old. Half Belgian, half African. He's in Britain now.He came into London yesterday evening from Lagos inNigeria.'

'And who is he?' asked Kirkpatrick. 'What does he do?''Well, he's a businessman,' replied Shepherd. 'He buys

and sells things in many countries. Some people think healso buys and sells guns . . . and blood diamonds.'

Kirkpatrick looked at Shepherd.'I had a look on the Internet late yesterday,' she said.

'There was a lot about his business, but his name was alsoin a story from a South African newspaper about blooddiamonds.'

'That's interesting,' said Kirkpatrick.Shepherd gave some papers to Kirkpatrick.'This is all from the Internet,' she said. 'The first one is

the South African story. I'm going to look again today.'

7

'OK,' said Kirkpatrick. 'And we need to know where VanDelft is now.'

'He's at the Charterhouse Hotel, on CharterhouseStreet,' said Shepherd.

Kirkpatrick laughed. 'Good work!' he said.'This morning, I spoke to one of the people who work

there,' said Shepherd. 'She's going to watch Van Delft forme. For a little money, of course.'

'Very good work!' said Kirkpatrick, laughing again. Thenhe looked at his watch. It was a quarter to ten. He stoodup.

'Maybe Van Delft is still at the hotel,' he said.'What are you going to do?' asked Shepherd. 'You can't

just ask, "Do you buy and sell guns or blood diamonds?"'Kirkpatrick took the papers.'I'm going to read these first,' said Kirkpatrick. 'Then

I'm going to watch and see where Van Delft goes.''Well, don't do anything stupid!' Shepherd did not look

happy. Sometimes Kirkpatrick wanted a story too much.Kirkpatrick put a hand on her arm.'Of course not, Annie,' he said. 'Of course not!'Out on the street Kirkpatrick stopped and put on his

jacket. The Daily Post was on Fleet Street in London. Atone time all the important British newspapers were on FleetStreet. But now only the Daily Post had an office there. Theother newspapers were all in the east of London.

Fleet Street was not far from Charterhouse Street and itwas a warm October day. Kirkpatrick started walking. Heneeded some time to think about Van Delft. And heneeded to read the papers from Shepherd.

8

Chapter 2 Meeting Van Delft

There was a cafe across the street from the CharterhouseHotel. Kirkpatrick went in, asked for a coffee and sat at atable near the window. He was a tall man, about thirty,with long brown hair and blue eyes. He wore jeans, ajacket, a blue shirt and light brown shoes.

He read the papers from Shepherd. The South Africanstory was short and Van Delft's name was in it. It asked thequestion: 'Does this man buy and sell blood diamonds?'Kirkpatrick also learned a lot about Van Delft's business: itbrought coffee, fruit and other things from Africa toEurope, and then took cars and computers back to Africa.

9

He waited in the cafe and thought about how to start aconversation with Van Delft.

He didn't have time to think of an answer. Van Delftcame out of the hotel, a black bag in his hand.

Kirkpatrick drank his coffee and stood up. Van Delftturned right and started walking. Kirkpatrick took hisjacket and went after him. He needed to talk to Van Delft- but how?

Van Delft walked down to Holborn Circus and thenturned right into Hatton Garden. Kirkpatrick was fiftymetres behind.

Hatton Garden is famous for its jewellers' shops. Thereare all kinds of jewellery in the shop windows - watches,diamond rings - but Van Delft didn't stop to look at them.About 200 metres down the street he opened a door andwalked into a shop. Lafon Jewellery Paris London Antwerp.

10

Kirkpatrick looked at his watch. It was half past ten. Hewalked up to Lafon Jewellery and looked in through thewindow. The shop wasn't open now. Van Delft and ayoung woman were at the back of the shop. The youngwoman had long dark hair. Van Delft's bag was in herhand. They went into a room and closed the door.

Kirkpatrick walked down the street. He looked in the shopwindows, but every two or three seconds he looked back atLafon Jewellery. No one came out. He thought again abouthow to start a conversation with Van Delft. He walkedacross the road and looked in some more shop windows.

Fifteen minutes passed. Kirkpatrick looked at his watchagain. There was a flower shop with flowers out on thestreet. He talked to the woman in the flower shop. 'Niceday.' 'Not too many people this morning.' 'Nice weatherfor October.' Kirkpatrick looked at his watch again. Thenthe door of Lafon Jewellery opened and Van Delft cameout. He still had his black bag. Kirkpatrick didn't knowwhat to say, but he felt the time was good.

'Erik!' he shouted across the street. 'Erik Van Delft!'Van Delft turned and looked at Kirkpatrick. There was a

question on his face. Kirkpatrick walked across the street tohim, a big smile on his face.

'I saw you come out of that jeweller's,' Kirkpatrick said,'and I knew it was you, man.'

Van Delft didn't say anything.'You remember me, don't you?' said Kirkpatrick, still

smiling. 'Lagos, Nigeria. Five years ago, no six maybe. Wehad some drinks together. You and I. We had a lot ofdrinks together!' Kirkpatrick laughed and put his hand out.

Van Delft took it and gave Kirkpatrick a small smile.

11

'Harley,' said Kirkpatrick. 'Harley Kirkpatrick. You know,man, this is a good day for me. And maybe it can be goodfor you too. Are you still in the business?' Kirkpatrick stoodvery near to Van Delft. 'You know, buying and selling?This and that?' He didn't wait for Van Delft's answer. Hetook a pen and paper out of his jacket, wrote a number andgave it to Van Delft. 'Here's my number, man. Call me. Iknow someone with good money. And he wants to buy.'

Van Delft looked at the paper and then at Kirkpatrick.'Thank you, Mr Kirkpatrick,' he said.'That's OK, man,' said Kirkpatrick. And it's Harley.

Listen. I must go. It's good to see you again. Call me.'Kirkpatrick turned and walked away.Van Delft stood there in front of Lafon Jewellery and

looked at the paper in his hand. Then he looked atKirkpatrick and looked dow