Originally published on the CGS blog on November 14, 2013.
What links you, the average American consumer, to the deadliest conflict since World War II? Probably the cell phone in your pocket, the iPad in your desk drawer, or the computer you’re reading this on.
These devices link you to the violence and terrorism that has beset the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the past 15 years and cost an estimated 5.4 million lives from war-related causes. One of the primary motivations for the conflict is control over the Congo’s natural resources—namely tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold taken from the country’s mines. Militia groups use mass rape to intimidate and control local populations, thereby securing control of the mines and trading routes. They also have been known to hold workers at gunpoint and force them to work for little or no pay. These minerals are then sold to companies which produce the technological devices we use every day.
The long supply chain makes it difficult, though not impossible, for companies to investigate the sources of their materials. Here’s how it works, according to rightrespect.org:
Fortunately, conditions in the DRC have seen improvements. According to a 2012 report, the amount of money armed groups make off three of the main conflict minerals (tin, tantalum and tungsten) has dropped 65% since 2010. These results are attributed to the efforts of the tech industry as well as new legislation. The recently-passed Dodd-Frank Act requires companies using these minerals to report whether they came from a warring country and, if so, what steps they have taken to investigate the supply chain.
The Enough Project has commended Intel, HP, Dell, Microsoft, and Apple for their progress toward ethical sourcing. However, there is still more work to do. Nintendo, Nikon, Canon, Sharp, and HTC have made little to no effort in this area. They need to hear from you. Let them know their customers care about their sourcing practices and don’t want to patronize a business that supports the world’s deadliest war.
