African People's Solidarity Committee writes:

Diamond Industry Reps Scurry to Defend Profits
African People's Solidarity Committee

Earlier this week Martin Rapaport, President and CEO of diamonds.net and the Rapaport Diamond Report, issued a special statement concerning the ethical issues surrounding the diamond industry. This comes just a few days before representatives of the international diamond industry descend upon New York City for the 4th Annual Rapaport International Diamond Conference.

In Rapaport’s letter he admits that, “Over one million artisanal diamond diggers in West Africa are at grave risk in places like Sierra Leone, where 28% of children die before the age of 5 — the highest child mortality rate in the world. Many of the people mining our diamonds are so poor they cannot keep their children alive.” This is a startling confession from one of the most powerful figures of the diamond industry, an industry that previously claimed that they were beneficial to the people of Africa.

In the face of a mass movement and boycott against their industry, the diamond cartels are offering to self-regulate the brutally exploitative industry. They promise to set up non-profits and charities to build schools and create medical care for the diamond workers.

The African People’s Solidarity Committee rejects this public relations ploy. They are calling for nothing less than all of Africa’s resources under the control of the African working class itself. Africa is the richest continent on earth. Africans don’t need charity; they need control over their own land.

On February 5th, human rights activists will demonstrate at the New York City Hilton Hotel during the 4th Annual Rapaport International Diamond Conference. Protest organizer Robert Notowitz of the African People’s Solidarity Committee declares, “We have the responsibility to shut down an industry that ravages the land and labor of Africa to benefit the white world. For white society, the diamond is promoted to represent the ultimate expression of love. For Africa, the diamond trade has its origins in colonialism, with African people forced to labor on their own land under slave-like conditions for pennies a day. All diamonds are blood diamonds!”

Then in the evening of February 5th, a forum will be held at the Church of the Village, with speakers from the Uhuru (African Freedom) Movement, including Diop Olugbala, organizer of the Sean Bell Justice Tribunal, and Penny Hess, author of “Overturning the Culture of Violence”. Physicist Aisha Fields will discuss the Uhuru Movement’s clean water and sustainable electricity projects in Africa. The Church of the Village is located at 201 W. 13th Street in the West Village.

For more information visit www.boycottdiamonds.net