Thanks for posting such an interesting article. I’ve known Enough Project for a while and they do a great work bringing awareness and providing help to needy people. But I too think it’s a little bit irrealistic to buy conflict-free electronics products since we have no way to find out if manufacturers don’t source their essential materials from mines that produce deadly conflict.

That said, I can’t agree more when Prendergast says only when it becomes more profitable to exploit the minerals legally will there be sufficient incentive for peace in Congo.

So many things are still to be done………….

I read Max’s article about Blood Diamond the movie and I think movies are important to make people think about a situation. Everyone who saw that movie knows what blood diamonds are about. Maybe it’s time to realize we are the cause of many problems Africa and other countries are facing. Don’t you think?

I’m sorry Erick but we can’t be held responsible for everything that goes wrong in Africa or anywhere else. These countries are controlled by militia or dictatorship. What can I do about that? Not my fault, I can tell you but I wish that was different!!

France is friend with many African ‘presidents’ and I believe, as a french guy, that we don’t help those countries at all, we make deal with presidents but we don’t care about people welfare AT ALL.

+1 for John Prendergast….

I don’t know what to think…. I agree with JohnnieW, we can’t be held responsible for everything done in the world. I don’t decide for people to get killed or raped and that’s unfair to say we are responsible for everything. But I know I can contribute to make things change and like Max told it many times, everyone can do a little something on his side. And that’s what I’m doing. Better than nothing I guess..

I’ll explain that to my girlfriend, she will understand jewelry is bad and that she doesn’t need another ring

-Meddi

I feel concerned about this topic and I agree with everyone. We are responsible in a way but not for everything. I’m not sure we can change anything alone we need our governments to work on that.

Bises
Moshuo

After I read this article, of course I want the war for diamonds to stop and I will do anything to help. For the moment I am busy working with my cousins who lived in the Abruzzi region where the earthquake destroyed the village. They moved to the north with my uncle family and it’s very hard for them. They can’t return to their home, that’s very sad you know………

I agree with Lissa, so many things are still to be done and dunno where to start…

OK, got the message.

What do we do NOW?

Gino, didn’t George Clooney come to visit l’Aquila? I saw him on the news on tv. See, someone is helping you

Bises
Moshuo

LOL Moshuo, he’s not helping anyone there. It’s only communication since he lives in Italia several months a year. He’s just showing up, that’s MHO.

I disagree Juliette Clooney gave hope and he was very kind from what my cousin said. Of course it’s good for his image but he was very upset by the situation.

And now he’s dating an italian girl, he’s almost a true italian

Unless you work in an organization everyday, nobody does anything to help excepted the volunteers. We are all wusses, shame on us…….

Clooney, Cheadle, Damon,Farrow… They all do everything possible to bring the spotlights on these plights. I would likje to cite the article Max wrote about VIPs and organizations, I remember she teased Clooney and Gore but in the end she was right: we badly need people of good will to help spread the word. And that’s what Prendergast does. I don’t get what’s wrong with that.

My first post here and I gotta say I have no idea what you’re all talking about. Life is cruel and unfair. Drink beer, get girls and play video games that’s all we need in our selfish lives.

Jeez, you sound so desperate Mark, get a life

Moshuo, you’re being rude with Mark. Sometime I wish I could have the life he describes

That said, I see the discussion about the ‘what we can do’ concerns everyone. There is no quick solution so it’s despairing

I asked at my electronics store if they would be inclined to sell conflict-free electronics products and I got the answer straight away: ‘We don’t care about the conflicts out there, we’re here to run a business.’

So I bought a radio I suppose to be made with essential materials coming from mines that produce deadly conflict…………

Hey guys, let’s live in a cave

Hulksman: that’s also what I think sometimes. We can’t do anything without being held responsible for someone else’s bad behavior. Unfair AND frustrating.