UN to discuss link between diamonds and DRC war

[dArKeR]

The UN Security Council was to meet on Thursday to discuss a report on the booming trade in African diamonds and minerals which is continuing to finance what may be the deadliest conflict since World War II.

The civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is believed to have cost the lives of around 2,5-million people, and the report found that the illegal trade has financed a steady supply of arms shipments for the nation.

Activist groups have asked the council to investigate multinational firms accused of profiteering from the war, but diplomats said it was unlikely the UN's main peace and security organ would take that step.

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=22833

Doesn't Rat Robertson fit in here somewhere?

[dArKeR]

1. Report: Diamonds, DRC war link

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1437844,00.html

[dArKeR]

2. Canada to chair new system for tracking diamonds

But human rights groups said the voluntary system does not go far enough to curb trade in illicit “blood diamonds.”

Representatives from governments, the diamond industry and non-governmental groups attended the meeting at South Africa's luxury Sun City resort complex to review the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme.

The system is the diamond industry's response to growing world concern about illicit diamonds that have fuelled deadly wars in Congo, Liberia, Angola and Sierra Leone.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031031.wdiam1031/BNStory/International/

Why isn't Bush taking the lead roll?

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. How else do expect him

to keep al Qaeda in business?

This is one of their primary sources of funding and you don't think he really wants to cut off their funding?

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. What about the links between the companies

that are still under investigation and Bu$hCo and/or the British government?

"In its annexes, the (UN) report sorts the companies into different categories depending on how far their respective cases have been resolved, and nine UK companies are listed as requiring no further investigation. However, four UK-based firms are included in a third category of "unresolved" cases which have been "referred for updating or further investigation". Those companies are De Beers, the giant diamond conglomerate, Das Air, Avient Air and Oryx Natural Resources."

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/story.jsp?story=458966


Does anyone around know anything about these companies such has who is on their board of directors and who they have ties to? This looks like this trail could lead to some interesting places?

[LeftistGorilla]

5. I wonder if....

diamonds will go the way of the fur trade....
as in boycotts...