Conflict Minerals in the Congo
The conflict in the Congo is one with many complex and interconnected sources, and as outsiders looking in it can be hard to determine what problems to attack in order to ultimately help end the war. However, there is one source of the conflict that may be easier to attack, and is disconcertingly related to our own lives. Conflict minerals, or minerals such as tin, tungsten, tantalum and coltan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_minerals) are minerals that are very difficult to find in other geographical areas, yet are plentiful in the Congo. They are a huge source of revenue, and much of the rebel groups in the Congo’s fighting can be traced back to desire of control of the mines. But in order to control these mines, these militia groups resort to murder and rape with devastating frequency. Also, these minerals also found in electronic devices like digital cameras, cell phones, lap tops and other devices we use every day (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/26/opinion/la-ed-congo-20100726).
These minerals have had a devastating effect on the conflict in the Congo. The conflict minerals cause a vicious cycle. Rebel groups in control of the mines, and therefore the mineral trade, exact bribes and/or taxes, and draw the majority of their profit primarily from member states of the European Union. The money raised is then used to buy weapons for the rebel groups, which are in turn used to commit atrocities against millions of innocent people, including “mass murder, rape, torture and forced recruitment.” (http://www.globalissues.org/news/2010/03/04/4732) Without the conflict mineral trade, the rebel groups would be less-well armed and generally less supported monetarily, making all of their actions far more difficult to execute.
Currently, selling coltan is not illegal and it is an industry that produces about $6 billion in revenue per year (http://www.globalissues.org/article/442/guns-money-and-cell-phones). The United States has taken steps towards stopping this trade – over the summer, Obama signed legislation that would require U.S. companies to disclose whether or not their products contain conflict minerals (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/26/opinion/la-ed-congo-20100726). However, this industry is still incredibly overbearing and a major source of the conflict.
That's pretty crazy that these materials that are found in so many of the electronics we use every day are such a huge source of conflict. I wonder if there are any companies which have committed to developing high-quality products that do not use these conflict minerals for production?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article and learning Obama wnated to have companies disculose wether or no they use conflict minerals, I'm wonering what objects in my life use coltan and other conflict mineral. I proably use them all the time without even knowing it. Looking online i found out that Coltan is used in cellphones, Ipods, computers,and airplane engines. As well, tungsten is what makes cellphones vibrate. I found out that it is mined in the DRC and 2 million dollars go to war loards each year from the sale of tungsten. I wished there wasa clearer list online about, which products use conrflict minterals because when I just searched online it was really hard to find a clear answer. This makes Obama's bill seem overly reasonable. Especailly after reading Ruined and seeing how they mention the conflict minerals it makes the suffering of the people in the DRC more real. When the miner gives mama coltan it gave me a slight shiver because now that I know more I realize how much power such a small object can hold.
ReplyDeleteIt is terrible how much trouble these conflict minerals cause. In the play Ruined, they mention that many militia members would kill miners for the materials they found. While something similar to this could happen in the United States (robbery ect.), in general i would like to think that peoples property is better protected.
ReplyDeleteIt is just interesting how people use the minerals as money. For example, in the play they use the minerals to buy a beer. This just seems like a old practice and it is hard to imagine people doing something similiar in the United States.
Does Coltane come from other places as well or is it pretty much all the Coltane we use from the DRC? If so...how should America and we as "plugged in" citizens respond? Is the only way to stop the trade of war Coltane to give up digital cameras, cell phones, and lap tops? If so,the chance of an embargo or economic protest seems unlikely.
ReplyDelete