Ban Zimbabwe blood diamonds
Nov 4th, 2009 by Katie
Robert Mugabe is using his army to take control of Zimbabwe’s diamond fields.
According to petitioning organisation, Avaaz, 200 civilians have been murdered in the process and the profits from these dirty diamonds – which could end up in our engagement or wedding rings – will help fund the ongoing violent political conflict in this troubled country.
Official diamond regulators are due to meet in Namibia this week and will decide whether to suspend Zimbabwe and stop Mugabe selling his diamonds on the world market.
Avaaz is trying to get at least 100,000 signatures on a petition in the next 24 hours to deliver directly to Namibia and get the diamond regulators to stop the flow of these blood diamonds.
The petition reads:
Petition to global diamond regulator, the Kimberley Process:
Zimbabwe diamonds do not comply with Kimberley standards, nor can they be certified as “conflict-free”. We urge you to suspend Zimbabwe from the global diamond trade until the army pulls out of Marange, violence ends, abuses are investigated and Kimberley controls are upheld. Otherwise the Kimberley Process’s public credibility will be tarnished and the whole diamond industry will lose.
Sign the petition to ban Zimbabwe’s blood diamonds.
Katie
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