By now most of us have heard about conflict minerals coming out of the eastern region of the Democractic Republic of the Congo. These minerals (including coltan, cassiterite, and wolframite) are found in many of the electronics we use on a daily basis—cell phones, laptops, MP3 players, etc. Change.org has reported extensively on the consequences of conflict minerals, including the use of children in the mining process and also the exporting of the minerals which helps to fund war in the Congo.
In a recent article, Change.org spoke to Frank Poulsen, a Danish filmmaker, whose documentary “Blood in the Mobile” investigates the mines in eastern Congo and their relationship with the electronics industry.
After watching the trailer (embedded above) I looked into The Conflict Minerals Trade Act (HR 4128) which was proposed by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) in November 2009. The bill essentially aims to demand more transparency and accountability from importers and refiners of conflict minerals. EnoughProject.org has a list of the specific goals of the bill, which includes:
1. Conducting audits of facilities that process conflict minerals
2. Publishing a list of products that are “conflict-mineral free” and a list of those that “may potentially contain conflict minerals.”
3. Giving assistance to improve the livelihoods of Congolese communities who are dependent upon mining.
4. Creating a Conflict Minerals Map identifying the mines which deal with conflict minerals and those that are likely to finance conflict to be updated twice a year.
5. Formulating a U.S. policy strategy to address the issues surrounding conflict minerals and their link to human rights abuses.
6. Using the Government Accountability Office to monitor the effectiveness of the bill yearly.
Passing this bill would be a big step in the right direction — getting electronics companies to stop using conflict minerals in their products and giving consumers the option to purchase conflict-free electronic devices. Take the time to find out if your representative supports The Conflict Minerals Trade Act and if not, ask him or her to co-sponsor the bill.
