It's not their story being told in the upcoming Blood Diamond, but the Kalahari Bushmen of Botswana -- who now find themselves in a similar situation to that of the people of Sierra Leone in the 1990s, the story's setting -- have been trying to catch the film's publicity train. In September, they took out a full-page ad in Variety in order to beg the assistance of star Leonardo DiCaprio in getting the world to recognize their plight and come to their aid. You know, just cuz Leo's famous and all, and hence far more likely to be heeded than the actual people actually suffering. I'm not saying the Bushmen are mistaken. I'm saying, how screwed up is the world when even the most unconnected hunter-gatherers on the planet know who Leonardo DiCaprio is? That's messed up.

Anyway, the Bushmen today renew their plea in a letter to DiCaprio:

We just learned that Botswana government gave out more of our land to a company called Petra Diamonds which is exploring for diamonds right now. We are angry and upset about this. These are conflict diamonds because diamonds are the root of our sorrow and pain. They caused us to be moved from the land of our ancestors. We say these diamonds are killing us the Bushmen.

We ask you to please, please help us. We think people will listen to you because you are famous and respected.

(More on the Bushmen's situation at Survival International and at the Bushmen's own site, I Want 2 Go Home. Hey, the Amish have Web sites, too, so why not hunter-gatherers?)

Now, I've never been one of those folks who decries celebs for using their soapboxes to support causes they care about. Isn't that what we all do, to the extent that we can? Wouldn't any of us, were we to suddenly become famous, use the opportunity to speak out on behalf of retired circus animals or endangered historical subway stations or whatever our pet causes are?

So you know what? From my little soapbox here, I'm gonna echo the Bushmen: Leo, fer pete's sake, say something on their behalf, wouldja? I've only merely seen Blood Diamond, and I'm angry and incensed and have renewed my vow never to buy or wear diamonds (I already knew what a villain the diamond industry is). How anyone could have been involved in actually producing this film, in Africa, and seen some of what's at stake here, and not be livid, is beyond me.

So take some time out from boinking models, or whatever it is you do when you're not making movies, Leo, and be a mensch.

Recommend (0)

|  Comments (0)

|  Email

|  Share

Share  Facebook Digg del.icio.us