Botswana: Diamonds And Reputation Could Be Hit By Bushmen Eviction Boycott
Diamond giant De Beers' strategy of going for increased consumer awareness may take a hit because of the mounting campaign in favour of the Khoisan Bushmen evicted from Botswana's central Kalahari reserve.
The boycott campaign being conducted by rights organizations in the US and Europe has been given a fillip by the expulsion of a critical academic. In addition Botswana's President Festus Mogae has been shooting himself in the foot with well-publicised and racially obnoxious statements about the Bushmen.
The case has already damaged Botswana's prized reputation as the sole democratic and economic success story in Africa outside of South Africa and analysts say this may be the main fallout of the case, beyond increasing the generalized negative view of diamonds inherited from the 'conflict diamonds' publicity.
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The boycott campaign being conducted by rights organizations in the US and Europe has been given a fillip by the expulsion of a critical academic. In addition Botswana's President Festus Mogae has been shooting himself in the foot with well-publicised and racially obnoxious statements about the Bushmen.
The case has already damaged Botswana's prized reputation as the sole democratic and economic success story in Africa outside of South Africa and analysts say this may be the main fallout of the case, beyond increasing the generalized negative view of diamonds inherited from the 'conflict diamonds' publicity.
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03 Août 2005 à 12:27 dans
- English
