The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire
In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire
UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović
US Gives Weapons to Taiwan for Free, The... Fri May 03, 2024 03:55 | Anti-Empire
Russia Has 17 Percent More Defense Jobs ... Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:56 | Marko Marjanović Anti-Empire >>
A bird's eye view of the vineyard
Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog. We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader 2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by The Saker >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Voltaire, international edition
Netanyahu soon to appear before the US Congress? It will be decisive for the suc... Thu Jul 04, 2024 04:44 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N°93 Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:49 | en
Will Israel succeed in attacking Lebanon and pushing the United States to nuke I... Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:40 | en
Will Netanyahu launch tactical nuclear bombs (sic) against Hezbollah, with US su... Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:09 | en
Will Israel provoke a cataclysm?, by Thierry Meyssan Tue Jun 25, 2024 06:59 | en Voltaire Network >>
|
National - Event Notice Thursday January 01 1970 IPSC Boycott Day of Action: Israeli Blood Diamonds to be highlighted nationwide
Palestine campaigners call for review of blood diamond certification scheme
This Saturday 30th October 2010 the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) will hold a nationwide awareness-raising day to expose the contamination of the global diamond market with Israeli “blood diamonds” ahead of the annual meeting of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KP) in Jerusalem on November 1st. Activists from the IPSC will be staging stalls and awareness raising actions in a number of cities and towns including Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick.
![Click on image to see full-sized version blood_diamond_poster.jpg](../cache/imagecache/local/attachments/oct2010/460_0___30_0_0_0_0_0_blood_diamond_poster.jpg) The Kimberley Process is supposed to prevent the trade in “blood” or “conflict” diamonds. However, the KP stipulates that only “rough diamonds used by rebel movements” can be categorised as conflict diamonds – therefore it regards all other diamonds as “conflict free” regardless of what human rights violations they are funding.
Outlining the rationale for the actions, IPSC National Chairperson Freda Hughes said: “Israel is the world’s top diamond exporter with exports worth over $19 billion in 2008, accounting for over 30% of Israeli exports. Recent investigations by the UN have concluded that Israel committed war crimes in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead in 2008/09 and during the attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla earlier this year, while the brutal occupation of Palestinian land by Israel continues. The Israeli state which oversees these crimes and the military which carries them out are funded by revenue from these same diamond exports. In the view of the IPSC and the Palestinian Boycott National Committee (BNC) this Israeli diamonds should be unequivocally categorised as blood diamonds.”
According to Israeli economist Shir Hever: “The diamonds industry helps Israel fund its war machine, which is used on a daily basis against defenceless civilians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, to the tune of approximately $1 billion annually.”
Ms Hughes continued: “The IPSC is highlighting this important ethical issue, and have started a campaign aimed at pushing the Kimberley Process to widen its definition of conflict diamonds to include all diamonds that fund human rights – be they polished or unpolished diamonds, or used by state or non-state actors. Without such a definition, the KP is merely a charade aimed at fooling consumers into thinking that they are making ethical purchases.”
Ms Hughes concluded: “EU law provides for adequate and proper labelling of food produce, whereby the origin and country of manufacture of all food products is mandatory. When it comes to diamonds the European consumer is not being provided with the most basic labelling information. Consumers are being denied their statutory right to make informed choices with regard to diamonds and as a result jewellers, knowingly or unknowingly, are selling Israeli blood diamonds and misinforming customers by declaring they are “conflict free” diamonds.”
As the European Union is a member of the Kimberly Process, the IPSC has written to, and received positive responses from, Irish MEPs on this matter. The IPSC has also written to the Retail Jewellers of Ireland urging their support for a review of the KP.
On Saturday 30th October, IPSC ‘Boycott Israeli Blood Diamonds’ activities will be taking place in the following places:
Dublin: 1pm, Grafton Street
Cork: 1pm, Daunt Square, Patrick Street
Limerick: 12pm, O’Connell Street (by Bedford Row)
Galway: 10am, Shop Street (outside Lynch’s Castle)
Activities will also be taking place in Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford.
|
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (2 of 2)
Jump To Comment: 1 2Wexford: 1pm, The Bullring
Waterford: 2pm, Red Square