The critically-acclaimed film, however, shed light on a terrible truth. That during the Sierra Leone Civil War, kidnapping, rape, slavery, war crimes, and human rights violations were being funded by the extraction of diamonds in the mineral-rich country. Forced labor was used to bring these diamonds out onto the global market which were then sold by international diamond companies including DeBeers and middlemen in Antwerp. Rebels used the money to buy weapons and perpetuate their control of entire communities.
What surprises me, though, is how easily we can repeat history. Because right now, not to detract from the historic devastation in the West African nation, there is far worse conflict going on. If Sierra Leone was to diamonds, then the Democratic Republic of Congo is to tantalum.
Tantalum (Ta) is this big ol' rock you see above. It's used in computers, tablets, cellphones, and almost every electronic we use on a regular basis. In fact, there is tantalum in the MacBook I'm using right now to talk about conflict-causing tantalum as well as the iPad/computer/cellphone you are using to read it. 70% of the world's supply of tantalum is found in East Congo, the sight of the deadliest war since World War II. While diamonds from Sierra Leone were being sold to just a few international markets during the civil war, the tantalum in the DRC is probably used by a majority of the major corporations and makers of electronics. Companies that a 5-year-old American kid could recognize (Nintendo, anyone?). Deadly minerals that have cost at least 5.4 million lives are finding themselves inside our laptops, cell phones, video game consoles, and other electronics with no concern for the manufacturer.
DRC's "conflict minerals" also include tin, tungsten, and gold. All the profits go to barbaric militias in Eastern Congo who've been fighting each other for decades. And they continue to fight over control of these mines and the slaves they inherit.
A particularly gruesome and organized militia is called M23. They receive additional weapons and funds from the Rwandan government, a recent site of a mass atrocity. As if government leaders can't learn from history, Rwanda, who experienced a terrifying genocide in the 90s, funds the humanitarian disaster happening next door instead of denouncing it.
At least 5.4 million people have died since the DRC war's beginning in 1998. Those numbers are from 2007 so it is actually much more now. In 2010, Nicholas Kristoff made it an estimate of at least 6.9 million. Recent numbers have shown that an estimated 45,000 people are dying each month in DRC from war-related causes. Again, this is the deadliest conflict since World War II.
Congo is called the "rape capital of the world". 30% of women in DRC report being raped, as well as 20% of all men. The UN estimates that 48 women are raped in the Congo every hour. 65% of rape victims are children, 10% under 10. But rape cases universally are underreported, especially in a sexually conservative culture like DRC where stigma, being blamed for your trauma, and ostracizing victims is common. So, sadly, we must presume that the numbers are even higher.
Rape used as a war tactic is illegal according to international law (see the Geneva Convention). It is classified as a war crime and a crime against humanity, as well as one of the indicators of genocide. In addition to these crimes, the militias are responsible for a slew of human rights violations and war crimes including human trafficking, summary executions, forced recruitment, and more.
The atrocities are further complicated by ethnic animosities, lack of central government control, and an ongoing struggle for wealth.
Amputee and rape victim in Eastern Congo
Make Bosco Famous. This past year we saw three Americans bring our attention to the indicted war criminal Joseph Kony calling for immediate action. In 2013, let's make Bosco Ntaganda famous. He is the leader of the M23 rebel group. Known as "The Terminator", he is wanted by the International Criminal Court for the war crimes of enlisting and conscripting children under the age of fifteen and using them to participate actively in hostilities. His group's actions are also responsible for the millions of refugees, deaths, and traumatized victims of the Congo War. This is his face.
Demand conflict-free electronics. Movements have started in campuses across America to demand conflict-free electronics in their schools. Join a Conflict Free Campus Initiative or start one: http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-free-campus-initiative. You can even demand your city to be conflict free. Already, my neighbor St. Petersburg signed an agreement in 2011 to have conflict-free electronics in their government buildings. Visit Enough Project's report on the big consumer electronic companies and how they are responding to the crisis. Some have taken big steps to ensure conflict-free minerals in their electronics. Others have not even acknowledged the conflict. You can see their action out of 100 here: http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings. This way, you yourself can boycott conflict-mineral electronics (Canon, Nintendo, HTC, Sharp, Nikon).
Call Obama for Congo! Tomorrow on January 29 2013, the Conflict-Free Campus Initiative is asking anyone and everyone to call President Obama at 1-888-542-4146, asking him to appoint a Presidential Envoy to ensure that an international peace process is implemented in eastern Congo. Read more information and join the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/148782468609833/?ref=ts&fref=ts
And to prevent past mistakes or current misgivings, I nor Enough Project nor anyone else (I hope) is demanding the US to send troops and start another war. What I am praying for and hoping for is a peace process that goes through the LEGAL channels of the UN so we don't end up being responsible for war crimes ourselves. As well as experts on the Congo who have done their night and day research on this to come up with viable, fair solutions. Congo is complicated. A narrow-minded view of the situation is dangerous, and ineffective at best. But we must act fast by contacting our leaders before another slow-moving peace process becomes the blood on our hands.
I hope and pray that you call Obama with me tomorrow.
Love,
Katrina Doyle
Beloved and Friend of Christ
