(no subject)
Thu, 14 Jul 2005 10:52:19
-0700 (PDT)
From: Send an
Instant Message "John Gallagher"
View Contact Details View Contact Details
To: "kuriltai"
, "peace-ri"
, "KOLA" ,
"Rhodeisland Green-Party" , "WILPF News
Center"
Subject:
[kuriltai] SUPERMODEL REFUSES TO WORK FOR DE BEERS AGAIN
http://www.survival-international.org/news.php?id=858&PHPSESSID=296bf01cf71f0f8114b9117fcfeb98c3
SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL PRESS
RELEASE
SUPERMODEL LILY COLE REFUSES TO
WORK FOR DE BEERS
AGAIN
British supermodel Lily
Cole, the current face of De
Beers, has stated that she is refusing to work for De Beers
again, over claims that Bushmen
were evicted to make way for future
diamond mining in Botswana. Her
statement follows lobbying from human rights organisation Survival
International. Lily tells
Survival, "I was unaware of these matters when I was booked for the shoot."
Stephen Corry, Director of
Survival International
said: "I am delighted that Lily
has heeded our advice and
understands the human suffering
that diamonds are causing the Bushmen. I now
urge other models not to work for
De Beers. De Beers must realise
that the only way out of this is
for the Bushmen to be given back
their land."
Lily Cole is not the first model
to quit working for
De Beers.
Supermodel Iman
famously quit as the face of De Beers
after meeting with Survival International.
Meanwhile British
supermodel Erin O'Connor distanced herself from De
Beers stating '"I
don't think that doing a job like (being the face of De
Beers) would in
any way add to my life or make me happy. I would make
that stand, and
say 'no'."
This is part of Survival
International's ongoing
campaign against De Beers in support of the Bushmen of the
Kalahari over
their eviction
from their lands to make way for
future diamond
mining. Since the eviction, the Bushmen have been
continuously
persecuted. Only last month seven were tortured by wildlife
officials for
hunting to feed their families.
Last month Survival and pioneering
American feminist
Gloria Steinem picketed the opening of De Beers's
first US store in
New York.
Survival supporters urged US
celebrities Teri Hatcher
and Lindsay Lohan not to cross the picket line.
Meanwhile, screen icon Julie
Christie has lent her
support to the campaign stating: "Boycott De Beers! Or
have the
destruction of the Bushmen on your conscience."
For more information, and photos of the
Survival
protests, please
contact Miriam Ross at +44 20 7687
8734 or email
mr@survival-international.org
END
--
Survival International
We help tribal peoples defend
their lives, protect
their lands and determine their own futures.
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: 020 7687 8700
Fax: 020 7687 8701
http://www.survival-international.org
Western Shoshone Defense Project
P.O. Box 211308
Crescent Valley, NV
89821
(775) 468-0230
Fax: (775) 468-0237
www.wsdp.org