"Bling Bling" The DRC and Our Other Shiny Things

The same old story of currupt multi-nationals and politicians threaten more genocide - Since 1998 more than 3.3 million people, mostly woman and children have died and yet the Congo remains the forgotten conflict. This time it’s our other shiny things that are causing Africa problems. It’s the same old story of greedy multi-national corporations after Africa’s resources. This time it is spurred on by a sudden increase in the price for Congo’s new “black gold”, coltan [columbite-tantalite (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)2O6] a variable blend of iron. Because of its super-conductive properties it is essential in the manufacture of our cell phones, laptops, nuclear reactors and other technological marvels to which we have become so accustomed. This enormous worldwide demand for consumer electronics put a strain on the supply of tantalite ore. Prices soared to hundreds of dollars per kilogram. Coltan is so completely integrated into our everyday lives that it is virtually impossible to boycott.

There have over the past few years been several UN Panels that have published reports on the unethical and criminal practices of several multi-national corporations engaged in mining or purchasing these minerals. One report found that 85 companies had violated international norms [what ever those are?], including the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises promulgated by the Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in connection with their purchase of key natural resources from parties engaged in fighting in the DRC. The UN Panel called on governments to place financial restrictions on 29 of the companies and impose travel restrictions and other sanctions against more than 50 specific individuals. In January, 2003 the Security Council approved a resolution strongly condemning the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the DRC and demanding that all governments act immediately to end those abuses however they continue to do so even now some three years later.

On a local level what usually happens is different groups begin to vie for control of the areas where the coltan can be found by any means necessary including conflict. With abject poverty as the motivator thousands of men rushed to the jungle to mine coltan and constant conflict ensues as different groups fight for the richest ground to mine. At the conflict's height, at least seven foreign armies were involved in the war in the DRC.

Yes, it is a familiar story. We could in fact take the DRC out of this story and replace it with Sierra Leone, Liberia or Angola. The weak, elderly, women and child are forced into refugee camps and camps for internally displaced people. This leaves very few opportunities for the weak, women and children to work and prostitution [female, male and child] becomes an important part of the economy and spreads the AIDS virus. The mining destroys the land, ruining it for further agricultural or pastoral use, destroying the habitats of local wildlife and forcing the population to use wildlife as a source of constant food. Since 1998 it has been estimated that at least 3.3 million people have died in the Congo and more that 2.5 million people have been forces from their homes because of conflict in the Congo. Yet we hear nothing about this genocide. It seems to be a circular problem of reoccurring devastation as soon as the world stops looking.

Because of the mineral rich area’s proximity to neighboring countries like Rwanda and Uganda it also gives incentive for raiding from those countries. Of course the instigators and opportunists multi-nationals, support these conflicts by trading weapons and cash for coltan as the governments [western and eastern] that have jurisdiction over the affairs of these companies and their business practices turn a blind eye. With lots of money to spread around for political control, government officials, politicians, and military commanders forget their fiduciary responsibilities and special interests rule the people. The corruption of unrestricted capitalism poisons any possibility for stable independent good governance [democratic or otherwise] by the indigenous population how can we make sure that we [because what hurts any one of us, hurts us all] are not being exploited in the process.

If we can buy products for our bodies and hair with “No animal experimentation” on the label we should be able to make a purchasing choice knowing that no human beings have been exploited. We at Rootznews are not saying that everyone should stop using cell phones and laptops but we are saying that they are not worth the destruction of Africa. We can start by not living for the “Bling Bling” things in life. You can’t eat, drink or breathe them. They only have value because we give them value. We need to know that minerals are fairly traded and people’s lives have not been exploited for our convenience and luxury. According to Lancet Medical Journal 38,000 people a month are dying in the DRC.