UNITED NATIONS, New York
Rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have consolidated control over the Rubaya coltan-mining region, imposing a production tax estimated to generate around $300,000 in monthly revenue, the United Nations security council heard on Monday.
The M23 movement, a Tutsi-led
organization purportedly backed by Rwanda, seized the area, which produces
minerals used in smartphones and computers, following intense fighting in
April.
Bintou Keita, head of the UN
mission in Congo, told the Security Council that trade from minerals in the
Rubaya area accounts for over 15% of global tantalum supply.
Congo is the world’s top
producer of tantalum which is considered a critical mineral by the United
States and the European Union.
“This generates an estimated
$300,000 in revenue per month to the armed group,” Keita said. “This is deeply
concerning and needs to be stopped.”
“The criminal laundering of
the DRC’s natural resources smuggled out of the country is strengthening armed
groups, sustaining the exploitation of civilian populations, some of them
reduced to de-facto slavery, and undermining peace-making efforts,” Keita
added.
The majority of Congo’s
mineral resources are situated in the east, a region plagued by conflict over
land and resources between several armed factions. The situation has
deteriorated since the resurgence of the M23 rebellion in March 2022.
Thousands have been killed and
over 1 million displaced since the resurgence in fighting.
Manufacturers are under
scrutiny to ensure that metals used in products such as laptops and batteries
for electric vehicles are not sourced from conflict zones like eastern Congo.
Keita said that as profits
from mining have surged, armed groups have become militarized entrepreneurs,
making them stronger both militarily and financially.
“Unless international
sanctions are imposed on those benefiting from this criminal trade, peace will
remain elusive, and civilians will continue to suffer,” Keita said.
No comments:
Post a Comment