On air: Has it taken Naomi Campbell to shed light on blood diamonds?
|
Thursday, 8 Aug. 2010
|18:00 - 19:00 GMT
Pari in Zurich tweets that his parents 'are watching the Naomi Campbell war crimes trial'. Jez_Horrox replies: 'I must have missed that story, has Naomi Campbell been indicted for war crimes?'
No Jez, she hasn't. But the supermodel has given evidence at the war crimes trial of former Liberian President, Charles Taylor.
Nsarj on twitter was equally surprised: 'I never thought I would see the day that Naomi Campbell and War Crimes Trial would be seen in the same sentence. But here we are.'
A reluctance witness, Naomi Campbell said: "I don't want to be here. I was made to be here... This is an inconvenience to me". Explaining she didn't want to attend because she wanted to protect her family, Ms Campbell initially refused to testify but was subpoenaed by prosecutors.
Naomi Campbell has been giving evidence because she is alleged to have received an uncut 'blood diamond' as a gift from Mr Taylor in South Africa in 1997 after a dinner with Nelson Mandela. She admitted in court that some men she didn't know knocked on her door during the night and handed her a pouch containing some 'dirty looking' stones and that she thought they could be from Charles Taylor.
traxdollhead tweets: 'Naomi Campbell testimony fascinating, beware of knocks on the door at night and pebbles in pouchs.'
The allegation goes to the heart of the case against Mr Taylor for his actions during the civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone. The prosecution hopes to show that Mr Taylor traded weapons with rebel groups there in exchange for so-called blood diamonds.
The model also admitted she had never heard of Liberia or Charles Taylor before meeting him. But as the lawyer in the court replied, lots of other people haven't either.
So does her evidence matter?
yorkierosie complains: 'Naomi Campbell furthering her career, ...in War Crimes Trial. Why the TV/press coverage for her part and not actual crime?!'
But has her evidence, and her appearance at the Hague, helped shed light not only on the trial of Charles Taylor but also the issue of blood diamonds? Have you learnt something? Or do you find the media attention surrounding her appearance distasteful?
Elisa Massimino thinks the supermodel's testimony is important, it:
'matters because how mass atrocities are financed matters. Mass murder doesn't pay for itself. In Taylor's case, prosecutors charge that diamonds financed the purchase of weapons that killed many thousands of people and maimed and terrorized thousands more.
Post your thoughts here:
Your comments
Comment sent via Feed
18:52
113631290
Munyaneza posts on San Francisco Bay View - I am a Rwandan living in Rwanda during and after the genocide. Most of us (Kagame cannot satisfy everyone) are very grateful to him.
Comment sent via SMS
18:49
114501605
Rwanda today is one of the least corrupt countries in Africa and has experienced on of the highest jumps in life expectancy and one of the biggest fallsin child mortality. Granted, democracy is still weak, but perhaps it is too early to expect western-style democracy in Rwanda. As an African from Ghana, -missing Fragment-
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:46
113631290
Jodie emailed - I was impressed by Kagame's vision and progressive programs until an interview with a dissenter pricked my ears and set the seed of doubt. I wonder if Kagame's modernising vision is not an insidious plan to milk the West for investment
Comment sent via Feed
18:45
113631290
Horand Knaup writes on the Shout-Africa website - Shortly before elections in Rwanda, once a model country in Africa, the opposition is being harassed and regime critics are being arrested or killed. Despite his success in turning the country around, President Paul Kagame has never had high regard for freedom of expression and human rights.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:43
113631290
Mark posts on Facebook - I honestly don't know what to make of Rwanda. On the one hand, the commitment to education and ICT is outstanding, even inspiring, but there seems to be two sides to some parts of Africa. Kenya was a great success, yet the violence was just under the surface. It's disheartening to hear Rwanda's rather incredible denials as the body count increases.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:40
113631290
Dominic posts on Facebook - The 'reconciliatory' steps have been rather too slow to really show the Government's sincere intentions.
Comment sent via Feed
18:39
113631290
Goergenette writes on San Francisco Bay View - Rwanda's rapid improvements have impressed the rest of the continent and Kagame's influence is exponentially greater that his small country might warrant. This is visible everywhere in the country. Rwanda has turned into a point of reference in terms of socio-economic and political development.
Comment sent via host
18:37
113631290
On air now talking about Rwanda
Comment sent via SMS
18:36
114501393
The debate this evening was opened with incorrect facts she was in the presidential palace! Not a hotel! I would open the door, it is probably the safest place in Africa. Andrew Chad central Africa.
Comment sent via SMS
18:35
108683853
Diamonds are useless. They have no real value except vain adornment. The fact that millions of people suffer for them is simply ridiculous. Only fundamental evolution to human sense of values will solve such problems. But i鈥檓 afraid that greed and vanity are defining characteristics of humans and can not be eradicated. Therefore this is a pointless discussion. Valuable resources will always be traded for better or worse. Lloyd prague.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:20
113631290
Sarah posted on Facebook - Quite honestly: if it takes a supermodel, to "shed light" onto issues which would otherwise be widely ignored by global news, its legitimate. Regardless of what she did or knew, she has pulled grave attention to the topic either way.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:07
113631290
Sanousi commented on Facebook - Not being a diplomat or a politician does not mean she should not be aware and sensitive of the plight of other people in conflict. Models should also be informed of what is happening around the world.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:02
113631290
Derrick posted on Facebook - Naomi herself confesses that she didn't know they were blood diamonds. She does not shed any light at all.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:02
113631290
Christie writes on Facebook - I'm always torn on situations like this. Although it was one of the top stories this morning on the news (and does raise awareness), she has done NOTHING to advocate against blood diamonds herself. To the contrary, she didn't even want to testify against Taylor.
Comment sent via host
18:01
113631290
On air now talking about Naomi Campbell. Let us know what you think.
On air: Has it taken Naomi Campbell to shed light on blood diamonds?
| Thursday, 8 Aug. 2010 | 18:00 - 19:00 GMT
Pari in Zurich tweets that his parents 'are watching the Naomi Campbell war crimes trial'. Jez_Horrox replies: 'I must have missed that story, has Naomi Campbell been indicted for war crimes?'
No Jez, she hasn't. But the supermodel has given evidence at the war crimes trial of former Liberian President, Charles Taylor.
Nsarj on twitter was equally surprised: 'I never thought I would see the day that Naomi Campbell and War Crimes Trial would be seen in the same sentence. But here we are.'
A reluctance witness, Naomi Campbell said: "I don't want to be here. I was made to be here... This is an inconvenience to me". Explaining she didn't want to attend because she wanted to protect her family, Ms Campbell initially refused to testify but was subpoenaed by prosecutors.
Naomi Campbell has been giving evidence because she is alleged to have received an uncut 'blood diamond' as a gift from Mr Taylor in South Africa in 1997 after a dinner with Nelson Mandela. She admitted in court that some men she didn't know knocked on her door during the night and handed her a pouch containing some 'dirty looking' stones and that she thought they could be from Charles Taylor.
traxdollhead tweets: 'Naomi Campbell testimony fascinating, beware of knocks on the door at night and pebbles in pouchs.'
The allegation goes to the heart of the case against Mr Taylor for his actions during the civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone. The prosecution hopes to show that Mr Taylor traded weapons with rebel groups there in exchange for so-called blood diamonds.
The model also admitted she had never heard of Liberia or Charles Taylor before meeting him. But as the lawyer in the court replied, lots of other people haven't either.
So does her evidence matter?
yorkierosie complains: 'Naomi Campbell furthering her career, ...in War Crimes Trial. Why the TV/press coverage for her part and not actual crime?!'
But has her evidence, and her appearance at the Hague, helped shed light not only on the trial of Charles Taylor but also the issue of blood diamonds? Have you learnt something? Or do you find the media attention surrounding her appearance distasteful?
Elisa Massimino thinks the supermodel's testimony is important, it:
'matters because how mass atrocities are financed matters. Mass murder doesn't pay for itself. In Taylor's case, prosecutors charge that diamonds financed the purchase of weapons that killed many thousands of people and maimed and terrorized thousands more.
Post your thoughts here:
Your comments
Comment sent via Feed
Munyaneza posts on San Francisco Bay View - I am a Rwandan living in Rwanda during and after the genocide. Most of us (Kagame cannot satisfy everyone) are very grateful to him.
Comment sent via SMS
Rwanda today is one of the least corrupt countries in Africa and has experienced on of the highest jumps in life expectancy and one of the biggest fallsin child mortality. Granted, democracy is still weak, but perhaps it is too early to expect western-style democracy in Rwanda. As an African from Ghana, -missing Fragment-
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Jodie emailed - I was impressed by Kagame's vision and progressive programs until an interview with a dissenter pricked my ears and set the seed of doubt. I wonder if Kagame's modernising vision is not an insidious plan to milk the West for investment
Comment sent via Feed
Horand Knaup writes on the Shout-Africa website - Shortly before elections in Rwanda, once a model country in Africa, the opposition is being harassed and regime critics are being arrested or killed. Despite his success in turning the country around, President Paul Kagame has never had high regard for freedom of expression and human rights.
Comment sent via Facebook
Mark posts on Facebook - I honestly don't know what to make of Rwanda. On the one hand, the commitment to education and ICT is outstanding, even inspiring, but there seems to be two sides to some parts of Africa. Kenya was a great success, yet the violence was just under the surface. It's disheartening to hear Rwanda's rather incredible denials as the body count increases.
Comment sent via Facebook
Dominic posts on Facebook - The 'reconciliatory' steps have been rather too slow to really show the Government's sincere intentions.
Comment sent via Feed
Goergenette writes on San Francisco Bay View - Rwanda's rapid improvements have impressed the rest of the continent and Kagame's influence is exponentially greater that his small country might warrant. This is visible everywhere in the country. Rwanda has turned into a point of reference in terms of socio-economic and political development.
Comment sent via host
On air now talking about Rwanda
Comment sent via SMS
The debate this evening was opened with incorrect facts she was in the presidential palace! Not a hotel! I would open the door, it is probably the safest place in Africa. Andrew Chad central Africa.
Comment sent via SMS
Diamonds are useless. They have no real value except vain adornment. The fact that millions of people suffer for them is simply ridiculous. Only fundamental evolution to human sense of values will solve such problems. But i鈥檓 afraid that greed and vanity are defining characteristics of humans and can not be eradicated. Therefore this is a pointless discussion. Valuable resources will always be traded for better or worse. Lloyd prague.
Comment sent via Facebook
Sarah posted on Facebook - Quite honestly: if it takes a supermodel, to "shed light" onto issues which would otherwise be widely ignored by global news, its legitimate. Regardless of what she did or knew, she has pulled grave attention to the topic either way.
Comment sent via Facebook
Sanousi commented on Facebook - Not being a diplomat or a politician does not mean she should not be aware and sensitive of the plight of other people in conflict. Models should also be informed of what is happening around the world.
Comment sent via Facebook
Derrick posted on Facebook - Naomi herself confesses that she didn't know they were blood diamonds. She does not shed any light at all.
Comment sent via Facebook
Christie writes on Facebook - I'm always torn on situations like this. Although it was one of the top stories this morning on the news (and does raise awareness), she has done NOTHING to advocate against blood diamonds herself. To the contrary, she didn't even want to testify against Taylor.
Comment sent via host
On air now talking about Naomi Campbell. Let us know what you think.