Adbusters recently published this article about the bloodthirsty conflict over diamonds in Zimbabwe.

Robert Mugabe’s ruling party, Zanu-PF, has recently renewed its interest in diamonds. Diamonds are a valuable asset for foreign exchange, especially when a government has been cut off from the international community by sanctions.
Late last year the military moved into Chiadzwa and began confronting and arresting independent miners. A helicopter attack in December left 200 dead and there are assertions that the military has claimed more victims. Zimbabwe’s opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), for example, says that hundreds more miners are buried in mass graves.

According to an article today from Time, the Zimbabwean economy may be on the up, thanks to a decision to scrap the Zimbabwean Dollar and instead use US Dollars and South African Rand.

“I am earning in real money, it feels good,” says Majuru. “I can now put food on the table and feed my family.” A smile spreads across his face.

(read more here)

The guardian recently published this interview with five couples who have attempted to minimise the environmental impact of their wedding day:

The idea of exploiting others to enjoy the most special moment of your life seems entirely alien to me. An ethically sound wedding was the only option. Fairtrade was the name of the game – our roses, wine and wedding rings were all sourced with ethics in mind.

(read more here)

Communities in Nigeria, Papua New Guinea and Brazil, are being robbed of their sustainability by the practices of large scale Soap, Toilet Paper and Tyre manufacturers:

In the case of Nigeria, in 2007, the French tire maker Michelin came in to the Iguóbazuwa Forest Reserve, a biologically diverse region supplying food for around 20,000 people. Michelin bulldozed the forest and local farm lands to convert them into rubber plantations. Women living there lost their subsistence farms and the local forest which provided medicinal herbs and plants.

~ Sustainablog

At last dreams are coming true! The Big Boys are joining in the fun. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk is becoming Fairly Traded:

100 years ago William Cadbury chose beans from Ghana. A year ago we founded the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership. And from Autumn 2009 Cadbury Dairy Milk will be Fairtrade certified. Welcome aboard.

Click here for more (Thanks, @nomesbaker)