'Slavery' behind Easter chocolate (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

Thousands of children are working as slave labour on West African cocoa farms to help produce Easter chocolate for the UK, campaigners have warned.

The International Labour Organisation says 12,000 children have been trafficked to the Ivory Coast.

A coalition of anti-slavery charities says they work long hours for no pay and little food on the plantations.

British chocolate manufacturers said a certification scheme was being set up to tackle "unacceptable" conditions.

'Background of poverty'

The coalition, called Stop the Traffik, wants the manufacturers to declare chocolate "traffik-free" so consumers can be sure they are not supporting child slave labour.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6533405.stm

[hlthe2b]

1. Ohhh, say it isn't so...!

Damn.. now chocolate (at least in Britain) is "evil." Damn...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. "Blood Chocolate" ... damn

So, if we buy chocolate, we're supporting third-world exploitation. If we boycott the stuff, we're contributing to third-world poverty. They can't win.

"certification scheme" my ass.