Help stop trade in conflict minerals

Posted on Thursday, June 24th, 2010

By Roger
Cellphone illustrating how conflict minerals are used in their production

Cellphone illustrating how conflict minerals are used in its production (Image credit: Enough Project)

You’ve probably heard of blood diamonds, which fund armed conflict in mostly poor and underdeveloped parts of these worlds.

Blood diamonds are part of a larger market in conflict minerals. These similarly rare and valuable commodities are mined by corrupt governments or marginal paramilitary organizations to fuel ongoing military operations and weapons purchases.

Besides enslavement, rape and murder, some of the crimes visited on the innocent powerless people who live in such conflict zones are too heinous to detail here. But they’re well documented. In particular, atrocities in the Congo defy any understanding. It’s heartbreaking to see a place where I once lived slowly implode because of human greed and lust for power.

For conservationists, this is an important issue because environmental protections in these mining operations are largely absent or if present, are ignored. Forest is cleared irrespective of any biological wealth. Moreover, the rightful stewards of such land, often indigenous people, are displaced by the conflict, often having to settle areas of high biological diversity.

A bill planned to regulate trade in conflict minerals is going through Congress. The bill as written is opposed by the National Association of Manufacturers. But the idea of HR 4128 is not to directly prevent companies buying conflict minerals since this might hinder legitimate trade. The aim is simply to require companies disclose the source of their minerals.

Why should you be interested? Because sadly, you, me and everyone else who uses modern electronics is contributing to the problem. Cell phones, computers, DVD players, game consoles and other electronic use conflict minerals.  Learn about coltan, for example, mining of which has undoubtedly help finance conflict in the Congo. (See Wikipedia article.)

Please take a few moments to consider the importance of this issue. And if you are so moved, contact your representative to ask them to support the bill when it comes up for vote. (See links below.)

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