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VIDEO: Nicole Richie's bid to end Congo violence

By Lucy Halfhead on Friday 17 April 2009

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Marie Claire Celebrity News: Nicole Richie

Nicole Richie has just released a new video urging people to support ending genocide, rape, and violence in the Congo.

The A-lister begins her appeal saying, ‘I’m going to tell you a story about a place where grandmothers and babies are raped on a daily basis…and the reason they are being raped is directly related to the purchases of our cell phones, our laptops, and of our ipods.’

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO BELOW:

The Congo is a war-ravaged African nation that has seen an astounding level of violence against women, partly caused by the lucrative mining business in the country. The demand for valuable minerals and gold has made it a dangerous place to live, as these materials are used in common everyday items like iPods and cell phones.

‘This stuff is really inhumane,’ Nicole says of the armed groups using rape to control the population. ‘This is the worst stuff that I've ever heard in my life.’

Richie then goes on to introduce Kimberly Pinkson from the Ecomom Alliance and John Pendergast from the EnoughProject.org. Both organizations are partnering to help drive support to end these atrocities.

By asking companies to take responsibility for the minerals they purchase, Nicole and others believe they can stem the tide of violence, similar to the now-peaceful situation in Sierra Leone after Blood Diamond shed light on the abuses there.

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Friday 17 April 2009

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is there a UK based petition that we can sign to put pressure on these companies to use non-conflict minerals? The 2 websites featured are US based
Comment by alice on April 18 19:05