Damien Hirst, Diamonds and Zimbabwe

A couple of weeks ago we looked at Damien Hirst's Diamond skull which sold for something insane like 100 million dollars. I am outraged that this diamond encrusted piece of crap can be discussed as art without talking about the consequences of the lust for diamonds we have here in the West. We can read Said and turn up our nose at the quaint 19th century ideas about orientalism. But are we willing to face the incredible destruction and human rights abuses that are funded by our lust for diamonds.

Here is the latest example, sent to me by AVAAZ.org, which is an amazing global organization along the lines of moveon.org:
"Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe has sent his brutal army to seize control of his country's diamond fields. 200 civilians have been murdered and profits from our wedding rings are used to fuel violent political conflict.
Official diamond regulators meeting in Namibia this week will decide whether to suspend Zimbabwe and stop Mugabe selling his blood diamonds on the world market.
We have just 24 hours to persuade these countries to act - let's get a massive petition together and deliver it directly to the meeting in Namibia. Sign the petition below and then spread the word to anyone who doesn't want our gifts of love to finance hate."
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