Tuesday, March 19, 2002


readers, you know i hate to bore you. . .

so let's start with a chic new pastime in japan: cafe-ology. the appreciation of coffeeshops, which are hot, which are not, and what about their java? eager coffee lovers go to take notes. . .

but i have to make some mention of yet another story highlighting my much-overdone rant, child slavery on west african cocoa farms. as soon as i give this link, i also have to say that the chocolate industry is attempting to work with countries and plantation owners to alleviate this sorrow. and unicef is working on the problem; it's come to the attention of the united nations.

however, as the article notes, the overall quality of life in many african nations remains so low that many parents feel they have no feasible alternative but to auction their children into bondage. can you imagine being faced with such poverty that you choose among your beloved children, struggling to decide which one you must smuggle over the border to another country and to offer up as merchandise? which child is appealing enough that total strangers would buy him from you at first sight?

unicef is holding a conference in africa this week that aims to construct a legal framework to protect west african children better. no matter your political views, readers, you have to confess that global organizations such as unicef, development agencies, and international charities should focus more clearly on forms of development that would discourage and eliminate the need for this shameful social practice.

i personally do not think a boycott of chocolate is required -- the american chocolate industry at least is aware. unicef and other global organizations can work to set laws into place; but laws can be ignored and unenforced, as they will be while the economic situation in west africa is so awry. the international chocolate corporations and manufacturers -- the people who have the money, who have the relationships in the overall cocoa system -- they need to be proactive. they just can't ignore the problem and let unicef deal with it. but at the same time, since the problem is regional, the chocolate industry alone can't be blamed. so a boycott wouldn't apply the pressure where it needs to go, imvho.

we as consumers need only make the chocolate industry aware of our concerns, hear the chocolate industry's plan of action, and then help them follow through on those plans. all of us might consider writing our favorite chocolate manufacturer to ask what their level of involvement is, and to urge them to do more. but it might also behoove us to contact the imf and our representatives and senators to encourage not just more aid, but more effective aid.

then i'll eat my manjari with a strong conscience! (note: as far as i can tell from perusing their website, valrhona per se doesn't seem to rely heavily on west african cocoa in its products. i simply use manjari as an expression.)

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