A Killer Deal on Electronics

Photo: Nicholas D. Kristof/The New York Times

For many of us the term "blood diamond" is a term reserved for Naomi Campbell and her model cohorts. Most of us do not buy many diamonds, if we buy any at all. But how would you feel if I was to say you had a "Blood iPhone" or "This caused millions of women and children to be raped laptop" then would you feel those relate to you? Because they do.

The minerals tin, tantalum, and tungsten are metals used to manufacture electronics found in our homes, such as laptops, cell phones, iPods and digital cameras. These minerals are in abundance in the Democratic Republic of Congo and there is an all out war for their proceeds. There are no rules or regulations as to how these minerals are mined or sold. There are no corporations in the US or China or Europe who require that there be "cruelty free" minerals, they buy from the cheapest supplier without regard to the horrific acts that brought these minerals from deep inside their tombs to the doorstep of their processing plants.

But we MUST pay attention to these issues and we MUST do something about it. The lives of the women and children on the Democratic Republic of Congo depend on us doing so.

Researchers from Harvard University examined more than 4,000 cases of sexual assault from 2004 to 2008 and discovered that the number of rapes carried out by civilians had increased seventeen-fold. The study revealed that more than half of the victims were "raped by gangs of armed men and more than half of the aggressions took place inside homes". (1)

These women are not being raped by rebels hiding in the bushes waiting to ambush vulnerable women. These "women (are) raped by members of various armed groups, including the Congolese army. The degree of the brutality and humiliation involved -- women being gang-raped in front of crowds including their husbands, for instance... It's the use of it as a weapon of terror. It's the way it's done publicly, for maximum humiliation. It's hard to understand."(2)

There is a severe struggle for money and power with the minerals at the center of the conflict. To understand exactly how a country and it's people can plunge so far into darkness one needs to know the history of the place.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (3)

•     DRC is a nation in Central Africa.
•  It is the 3rd largest country in Africa
•  It is the 4th most populated country in Africa with over 71 million inhabitants
•  It is the 18th most populated country in the world
• The people are some of the poorest in the world, having the second lowest income per person.

• From the 1870's to the 1920's the DRC was under control of King Leopold II of Belgium. 

• Leopold began production of rubber. He insisted on a "quota" of rubber from the indigenous population, to enforce this quota the army, known as the Force Publique (FP), went around cutting off the limbs of the workers to scare them into producing the required amount of rubber needed.

• In 1960 a nationalist party won the parliamentary elections and chose Patrice Lumumba as Prime Minister.

• Between 1960 and 1965 there was dramatic instability with fighting between the parties of the government, Lumumba was assassinated, and a coup. 

• In 1965 the US backed Joseph-Désiré Mobutu won control through a coup and created a one party system. Random elections would be held with Mobutu as the only candidate.

• Mobutu required that his picture be on every bank note, in every government building, and on most public billboards.

• His corruption was so prevalent that at one time it is said he put US $4 billion into a Swiss bank account, while his country starved. 

• In 1971 he renamed the country to Republic of Zaire and changed his name to: " Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga (roughly translated as The Great Unstoppable Warrior who goes from Victory to Victory, Leaving Fire in his Trail)"

• In 1997 opponents declared the need for reform in the country and Mobutu fled the country.


• In 1996 the Rwandan genocide had pushed into the DRC and a struggle for power and control over the natural resources began, and still exists today.

 

This struggle for control has caused almost 45,000 people to die every month according to some reports and makes this the world's deadliest conflict since World War II, killing 5.4 million people. (4)  



The systematic use of rape has destroyed the lives and souls of so many women and children. Many times women are gang raped repeatedly through out their lives. Many of these women bear children that are the product of these rapes and contract STD's, including HIV from their attackers.



Not only that, once a woman is raped, her family will shun her. She is no longer pure and is of no value to her family. In many cases men, if they survive the attack, will kick the woman out of the house because she is at fault for being raped. Because of this many women do not report their rapes and keep it to themselves because they do not want to lose their family.

 In some cases that is not a choice.

Chance Tombola, 9, and her aunt, Jeanne Birengenyi, 34, both among the innumerable rape survivors in the war in eastern Congo. Chance's parents were killed in the war, as was Jeanne's husband. Given the stigma surrounding rape in Congo, they showed tremendous courage in speaking about their experiences.

Photo: Nicholas D. Kristof/The New York Times

In many instances groups of men break into the homes and kill or maim the men present. Gang rape the women in front of the families that survive the attack and take the teenage daughters to be their "slaves/wives". In some cases babies as young as 2 years old are being raped by up to 10 men at a time. Read the story of Chance and Jeanne
       
These attacks are also being aided by women who have joined these armies. While most do not have a choice and face certain death if they do not comply, some have gone on record to say they enjoy the process. These women assisting these "armies" will go into a village begging for help and saying that they have been attacked. The women of the village will tend to her and try to help her, only to be ambushed by the militia a few moments later. At times these women will actually help hold the villagers down as the men rape them. FOUR CORNERS "Heart of Darkness" is a very powerful documentary of one girls struggle to understand her homeland. 


 While at a camp for former child soldiers she meets a woman who was previously one of these women in the army. She tells the young girl that she misses that life, is bored in the camp and would like to return to her army life.

So... what can be done?

Well, the US has created a new law that requires companies to prove they are getting their minerals from conflict free zones. Which is nice that the government is at least acknowledging that there is an issue here. The problem is... this will do nothing. Why? People lie. Especially in war torn, poor countries where people are fighting for power. People lie and with ease. Do you really believe the same people responsible for going around and massacring millions of people will suddenly sit down and fly right because they are to "document" these minerals are from conflict free zones?

As far as I can tell there will be no one on the ground ensuing theses declarations are true. This is like giving a machete attack victim a paper towel and calling it good. It is not going to make one bit of difference.  

The only way to actually make a change is to go in there and do it. I realize, this being a conflict zone, it will not be easy, but with the millions of dollars these corporations have, it will be much more manageable. First, we need to make these companies and corporations know that we DO NOT want our products made with these minerals. We only want minerals that come from a source that puts human lives before profit. We need to write our leaders in government, the owners of these companies and tell our friends. These companies need to regulate their sources themselves and not rely on the word of oppressive dictators. 

I believe these companies should form a union of sorts, where they all pay into and are held to the same degree of accountability for this region and the sourcing of these minerals. With the help of the UN and other Western countries they negotiate a deal to build the appropriate infrastructure at these mining sites. They will create REAL jobs where people are PAID to mine these minerals in a safe and effective way. They will create real stability in the actual mining process. They will then continue to form partnerships for movement and distribution with DRC companies. Not corrupt government companies, but actual companies owned by the people of the DRC. 

In addition to creating safe and sustainable work environments these corporations must create centers for the children and women of these areas. These will include education for both the mothers and the children. As well as support groups and education about STD's and other important diseases. They will create hospitals that are for women and children only that protect them from the militias and armies, who actually enter the hospitals now and attack women and children. They will create a safe haven for women who have been raped. They will create jobs and opportunities for these women to help support themselves after they have been pushed out by their families. They will, with the help of the UN and other aid organizations, create safe passage to and from work and school for all employees, students and families. This will help the people of the DRC to grow into a more stable and self respecting country.

Although it will not happen instantly, the people will gain more control over their daily lives and be able to in turn, have more control over their country and what happens in their country. Over time these positive changes hold the potential to create a chain reaction of better educated people and less violent attackers. The people will slowly grow into a stronger nation founded on respect for one another and create a more stable government. And this is a process we need to support.

Here are some of the ways you can get involved and make a difference:

• Email the worlds biggest electronics manufactures: RAISE Hope for Congo 

• Donate to WomenforWomen an NGO dedicated to helping women of conflict

• Get Involved with Population Services International which helps prevent communicable diseases and helps people deal with them once they've gotten them

• Get involved with the International Rescue Committee

• Watch the movie Blood in the Mobile

Most of all: GET INFORMED and STAY INFORMED! Speak to your friends and family about what is happening and why. Think about these people before you buy your next iPod or laptop and remember WE ALL HAVE THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING!