Today Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), along with Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), introduced the Conflict Minerals Trade Act in
the House of Representatives. Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office applauds this piece of legislation and urges its speedy passage.
The bill promotes transparency in the minerals trade. For 10 years the DR Congo has been embroiled in a conflict involving nearly a dozen rebel groups, resulting in more than 5 million deaths. The conflict is fueled by a quest for control of lucrative natural resources. The struggle to control the supply of minerals in eastern Congo and the demand of American corporations and consumers for these resources perpetuate a ruthless conflict that uses women’s bodies as its battlefield.
The Conflict Minerals Trade Act of 2009 aims to unravel the underlying factors that contribute to the cycle of violence plaguing this country. More specifically, the bill includes:
- development of a U.S. government strategy to address conflict minerals;
- support for further investigations by the U.N. Group of Experts;
- mapping of which armed groups control key mines in eastern Congo;
- inclusion of information on the negative impact of mineral exploitation and trade on human rights in Congo in the annual human rights reports;
- guidance for companies to exercise due diligence;
- expanded U.S. efforts to improve conditions and livelihoods for communities in eastern Congo who are dependent upon mining; and,
- review by Government Accountability Office to evaluate adherence and effectiveness of policies
The bill also requires independent audits to verify that the minerals are “conflict free”.
This legislation is a first step in restoring control of Congo’s minerals, land and security to its most important resource: its people.
