EU’s new regulation plans to scrap imports of conflict minerals by 2021!

“The people back home wouldn’t buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand” – Maddy Brown (Blood Diamond, 2006).

The European Union are acting out of care and thinking of transparency for the industrial imports and mineral exporters. This is happening just a little month after the United States opened up their legislation for importing more from conflict zones. While the European Union plans to close the gate from areas and from sources that export Conflict minerals.

So the EU laws are becoming more stricter than the United States, even if the law they have enacted in the European Parliament and Council of the European Union, will be effective from 2021. So it is 4 years until it has giant effect and gives time to refinery and importers to change behavior. Something that is necessary, as well as the public have to grow concern of the affects of buying conflict minerals. Even as the conflict minerals still come into the market of Europe and into the refineries so the consumers doesn’t know and cannot follow where their products who contain minerals comes from war-zones.

That the European Union takes this serious and acts upon this Nobel, and proves that they does not want to support militias and guerrillas that keeps control of mineral rich areas and their exports to supply weapons and continue warfare in for instance the African Great Lakes Region. Take a look!

Background of new rule:

“This Regulation, by controlling trade in minerals from conflict areas, is one of the ways of eliminating the financing of armed groups. The Union’s foreign and development policy action also contributes to fighting local corruption, to the strengthening of borders and to providing training for local populations and their representatives in order to help them highlight abuses” (EU, P: 8, 2017).

Conflict Minerals from Great Lakes Region:

“The Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy should regularly review their financial assistance to and political commitments with regard to conflict-affected and high-risk areas where tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold are mined, in particular in the African Great Lakes Region, in order to ensure policy coherence, and in order to incentivise and strengthen the respect for good governance, the rule of law and ethical mining” (EU, P: 16, 2017).

Trade of Minerals funds armed conflicts:

“Preventing the profits from the trade in minerals and metals being used to fund armed conflict through due diligence and transparency will promote good governance and sustainable economic development. Therefore, this Regulation incidentally covers areas falling within the Union policy in the field of development cooperation in addition to the predominant area covered which falls under the common commercial policy of the Union” (EU, P:17, 2017).

Important Article:

“Article 3: Compliance of Union importers with supply chain due diligence obligations

1. Union importers of minerals or metals shall comply with the supply chain due diligence obligations set out in this Regulation and shall keep documentation demonstrating their respective compliance with those obligations, including the results of the independent third-party audits” (EU, P: 23, 2017).

Date of Application:

“Articles 1(5), 3(1), 3(2), Articles 4 to 7, Articles 8(6), 8(7), 10(3), 11(1), 11(2), 11(3), 11(4), Articles 12 and 13, Article 16(3), and Article 17 shall apply from 1 January 2021” (EU, P: 51, 2017).

What the statements on the law:

“The Commission will consider making additional legislative proposals targeted at EU companies with products containing tin, tantalum, and tungsten and gold in their supply chain should it conclude that the aggregate efforts of the EU market on the responsible global supply chain of minerals are insufficient to leverage responsible supply behaviour in producer countries, or should it assess that the buy-in of downstream operators that have in place supply chain due diligence systems in line with the OECD guidance is insufficient” (…) “In the exercise of its empowerment to adopt delegated acts pursuant to Article 1(5), the Commission will take due account of the objectives of this Regulation, notably as set out in recitals (1), (7), (10) and (17). In doing so, the Commission will, in particular, consider the specific risks associated with the operation of upstream gold supply chains in conflict affected and high-risk areas and taking into account the position of Union micro and small enterprises importing gold in the EU” (…) “In response to the request of the European Parliament for specific guidelines, the Commission is willing to develop performance indicators specific to the responsible sourcing of conflict minerals. By means of such guidelines, relevant companies with more than 500 employees that are required to disclose non-financial information in conformity with Directive 2014/95/EU would be encouraged to disclose specific information in relation to products containing tin, tantalum, tungsten or gold” (EU, P: 57-58, 2017).

The European Union is doing something positive with this. That they show effort and care for the imports and what affects the export has locally, so if the minerals export is shady, the export will cease. So if the due diligence regulation works and the industry complies, the effect can be enormous. The consumer will also know that there are not supporting by third party purchase to pay for ammunition rebels, warlords or guerrillas in far away lands. This should all be seen as step of making a better world and honorable society. Where the money is where the mouth is! Peace.

Reference:

Council of the European Union – ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union system for supply chain due diligence self-certification of responsible importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas – Outcome of the European Parliament’s first reading (Strasbourg, 13 to 16 March 2017) – (20.03.2017).

President Trump: “Presidential Memorandum: Suspension of the Conflict Minerals Rule” – Legalizing export of questionable minerals from the DRC!

R.D. Congo – Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, Ituri & Tshopo : Note d’informations humanitaires no 1 (5/1/2017)

RDC: Declaration sur les Massacres prepetres par les Presumes ADF/NALU du 17 au 26/12/2016

RDC: Communiqué du Chef d’État Major des FARDC RDC pour le secteur opérationnel SUKOLA au Kivu (30.08.2016)

My letter to Electronics Producers who are responsible for supplying money to militias and guerrillas of the DRC!

Dear Electronic Producers of end-products as Mobile Phones and such, I write to you in haste!

Then I mean the likes of Foxconn of China, Apple, Hitachi, Sanyo, NEC Tokin, Kemet, AVX, Vishay, Flextronics, Celestica Sanmina, Asustek, Jabil, Hewitt-Packard, Dell, Acer, IBM, Samsung, Motorola, Canon and Nokia. Also other suppliers who deliver the needed products for you too label and sell to the global market.  

I write too you with urgency, do you want your names to mentioned in blood, as your greed for the profits are no embedded with warlords and thieves of East Africa, as the exported mineral resources as Coltan, Tin, Tantalum and Tungsten. These minerals are needed in your production to make your phones, your electronics and others.

There been warlords, been warriors and presidents that have looted the Southern and Northern Kivu of Democratic Republic of Congo. They have all used AK-47 and other weapons while taking territories, towns and villages. These are the places, where the militias and guerrillas are raping the woman, burning villages and taking over mines even with child-labor if needed.

All the deaths and wars since the fall of Mobutu Sese Seko in the end of 1990s, where the proxy war of Uganda and Rwanda in the Kivu’s where the mines are; and you have accepted this as you vouch for their armies and their militias taking the area, eating of the minerals, eating the stones and lifting the burden they have to buy ammunition to continue their thieving. The thieving and capturing the miners, destroying and taking the minerals, the minerals you use in your products, the end-products you want to sell to me and the world.

What is the pride of your fiscal profits, knowing you were securing payments, securing buying of small-arms and killings of fellow men and woman, on your watch, on your payment and your production? The initial end-game of Electronic Products is that as long as we know that, the Laptops, Smart-Phone and others are tainted with blood; they are tainted with the operation of warlords.

That cannot be gone away in silence, as long as the President of Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo, they are all in on it, and enjoy the monies with their proxy armies controlling various mines and different minerals, the issues and stages of exploitation of the Kivu’s.

If more people care, they would be aggravated, they would wonder if there was ways of producing the smart-phones and laptops without the minerals that are fueling the guerrillas and militias of Kivu, which is not extending the reign of Kabila, Kagame and Museveni. They are the reasons for these killings and these groups who extort this violence.

The nonsense non-action, the deliberate assault for these minerals, and your plenty of usage, while knowing where it came from, with the extent of the force that it taken from the ground and into the factories, before sold with pop-song on the local TV-Station with a fancy name and image; that image should be tainted with the knowledge of how the minerals for it came to light of day, with the injustice, the impunity and dissolved society where the fear of violence, reckless warlords, relentless soldiers and murders keeping at bay the illegal logging of minerals of the Kivu’s. That is what the price of the profits.

The brave and Nobel men of the boardrooms of the companies, the men and woman of the PR firms, and the consumers, should be enlighten, should take a stand and we all should try to find ways to absorb and not buy the tainted electronics, or least spread the names of them who take the supply of blood-tainted minerals and make products for profit. That should be stopped, as the killings, the continued presence of militias and guerrillas, they are all been kept and fed by your money. The money you have supplied them, so they can continue to get guns and ammunition.

This money comes from the people, the citizens of the world, they should now and should extend their hands, if they about the atrocities and violence of the Kivu’s. They are serving your profits, the profits made on the guerrillas and militias controlling the mines and exploitations of the provinces with the enriched minerals of the Democratic Republic of Congo. That is what should be known, the silent and sudden killer of it all, the ones that responsible for the presence of modern technology, are militants and guerrillas who are fed on the violence as they export to industries that take it without questions.

It should be questioned and the people should care, the knowledge of these actions should be in the open and spoken more about. Last time the blood-diamonds movie and Leonardo DiCaprio played a reckless man who sold diamonds in Sierra Leone… maybe if they did the same with blood tainted minerals from the DRC, then the world citizens might care and asked for change of policy, but the average man don’t, they just want to enjoy 3G and 4G while surfing to read Tabloid papers and other madness, instead of using their waste opportunities to gain the needed knowledge of the affairs that is happening from afar with the technology at hand.

There is time to question; there are and been more than enough massacres and deaths happening in Beni, in Goma and in Kivu’s for the needed minerals. Time to ask the Electronics Companies and the Suppliers of these minerals to take actions, as their need for this is the reason why the atrocities and killings are happening. They are happing on our watch and with our knowledge. It is time to do something and ask for change, to pressure the DRC Government, to pressure the Electronic producers to use other suppliers if possible and stop fueling their profits into the warlords of East Africa, as they are responsible for their existence, as they are the ones giving them money and plenty to continue to harass and kill their fellow brother and sisters.

Best Regards

The Writer of Minbane

Congo On The Gilchrist Experience: Prof Yaa-Lengi Exposes Real Causes of Genocide in Congo (Youtube-clip)

“While Congolese people are being killed by Rwandese (Paul Kagame) and Ugandans (led by Yoweri Moseveni) with the complicity of some the western powers in order to get access to some abundantly known strategic raw materials and minerals in Congo (DRC) such as Cobalt, Coltan, Uranium etc., the rest of the world is kept ignorant of the true causes of this Holocaust that is ongoing in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. Professor Yaa-Lengi, Historian and writer shades some light in details on the true perpetrators of these crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity commited against Congolese people in total silence of the UN, the EU and the rest of the international community. Prof Yaa-Lengi is on the guests of the “Gilchrist Experience Show” which is aired in the US” (APARECO, 2016)

Part II: There is a silent War going on in Beni, in the province of North Kivu; this is in the DR Congo!

There will be marches in different cities and towns in the Democratic Republic of Congo, even if the Authorities under the Ruling Party and the President Kabila have disowned it and banished it. So since the first initial reports of what is happening in Beni, North Kivu; and sadly it is more. This has continued for two decades and continues, as FDLR and ADF-NALU, together even with rumored Generals of FARDC paying to “clean” the area. With that in mind, there are killings and violations of humanity.

I will today show other reports and congestion of them, as the reports are saddening and the proof of war in the Province of North Kivu and Beni is solid. Especially when I came over a picture that was not of a peace operation, but a direct war-zone. I will not show kids hacked with machete… as it sadden me as it could be one of the kids; I am godfather too… or children of my family. I am just worried and the reports are from various sources and continues in the same tune; so there a modus operandi. There operations and certainly planned Military operations and guerrilla who attacks civilians for minerals and other valuable. Take a look!

MONUSCO message earlier today: “The ADF have settled in the area and we need the cooperation of the people to dislodge them” (MONUSCO, 25.05.2016).

Governor Julien Paluku (Mayor of Beni for several years) remained adamant: “the war in North Kivu started for a very long time and she narrows on Beni. Of the 6 territories of North Kivu, only the territory of Beni-Mbau is infested by insecurity caused by the Ugandan Rebels of the afd. We have known the CNDP, M23, etc. Anyway to the conference on peace in North Kivu we had were 21 armed groups, nearly all wiped out to date except the FDLR of Rwandan origin and the ADF NALU of Ugandan origin, They are holed up in the mountains of Rwenzori (massive on horseback on the CONGO AND UGANDA) because hunted by President Museveni that they were fighting. Why did they kill to the gun (Machete, knife) and not to the Kalashnikov? It’s not to alert the military personnel stationed in the area. They kill in silence in holding FARDC. This is why it is rumored that the FARDC who massacred in Beni so that it’s a ruse, a diversion. Balance Sheet: 1000 people killed in this manner since 2014. The offensive launched by our armed forces bear fruit: ADF Rebels have been killed, other captured” (PPRD,’Henri Mova Sakanyi – ADF-NALU De La Guerrila au Terrorisme et Vice Versa, 20.05.2016).

First Report:

“Peacekeeping force MONUSCO United nation- specific in his squad from Tanzania, going in to search for and to locate the ADF and FDLR rebels in the forests of Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo to cooperate with the Congolese army FARDC. Monday 23 May. When delegates from the UN had traveled to Goma and Beni in order to investigate the thugs of the FDLR and ADF-Nalu attacked civilians day by day killing and looting, against it is how well and settings to hunt down and attack militants’ such as the Okapi Radio reports. Even if they say the growing MONUSCO and FARDC dressed intense attack by the militants, reports say the growing thugs FDLR remain wannachi much, and their leaders, many Kakamatwa and those who remain forests do not have power again after 22 years with the wild” (Almant, 2016).

Second Report:

“This thief confesses: “I am Rwandan . I was recruited in Masaka , Uganda. Those who negotiated me made me believe that there is a job, a mission in Congo ( R.D.C ) . They guaranteed me that I will be paid a monthly salary of four hundred dollars ( $ 400 US ) … “ It is a Rwandan refugee who was originally attached to Nakivale refugee camp in Isingiro District, adjacent to the Masaka and Mbarara. Following this popular interrogation, the criminal was taken to security officials. Now we can understand why the population of Beni has persisted in exposing his killers are from Rwanda and Uganda , there is an indigenous extermination plan and occupancy project or Balkanization started unbeknownst to the Congolese” (Kyavaghendi, 2016).

Third Report:

“Communicates from FARDC in Beni”, Echoes Sukola I, Eringeti, Two elements of the ADF. Congolese Katabeyi captured in Ituri (…) during the intervention troops Sukola I and about Ugandan recruited Masaka, captured yesterday (…) the triangle of death during the fighting will all be presented on Thursday 26 May to public (…) for mayor of Beni by the competent department” – Lieutenant Mak Hazukay – spokesman Sukola5 Operation Asked about the Rwandan convoys intercepted today near Butembo, Mak Hazukay was skeptical:” Yesterday was the Fuso trucks and today are mini bus !!! I am waiting to see for myself (…) Let them send us the pictures of the procession. intelligence is also the honesty and sincerity”.

Last Report today:

“This gentleman is an alleged ADF he claims to have been recruited at Masaka at the border between Kenya and Uganda by a person “x” because of a work of $ 400 a month in the DRC. This alleged suspect has been captured by FARDC during an attack on their position in the territory of Beni, it was presented to the security committee of the city of Beni this Thursday, 19 may at the town hall of Beni” (Beni RDC, 20.05.2016).

So with this all in mind, there is yet proof of the silent war. It is silent as the world still does not care or renegade behind it. They just look away and follows Ariana Grande and burning Ivory in Kenya, instead of the Violence happening. DRC or RDC have a territory with MONUSCO and FARDC where there Guerrillas like FDLR and ADF-NALU who are terrorizing the populations and civilians to control certain minerals and wealth in the area. With the knowledge of a possible General Muhindo Akili Mundos from the FARDC is reported to pay per head for “cleaning” the area. With that in mind, together with the knowledge today, there are more people and evidence of the matter, which even people captured in Uganda and recruited there, before becoming parts of the ADF-NALU. That is worrying. Peace.

Reference:

Almant, Leki – ‘MONUSCO na FARDC wanashambulia waasi kama FDLR huko Beni’ (25.05.2016) link: http://swahili.bwiza.com/blog/2016/05/25/monusco-na-fardc-wanashambulia-waasi-kama-fdlr-huko-beni/

Kyavaghendi Baudouin – ‘Un égorgeur de Beni confesse : « Je suis rwandais… recruté pour un salaire de 400 dollars… ! »’ (22.05.2016) link: http://www.africa243.com/2016/05/un-egorgeur-de-beni-confesse/