Deep in the heart of Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to fuel global industries whilst bleeding within.
Plagued by decades of conflict and suffering, the DRC continues to provide resources for the globe whilst being crushed under exploitation and conflict. Placed as the second biggest country in Africa, the DRC is one of the most resource-rich countries that provides important minerals such as cobalt, coltan and gold. These assets are vital for global industries but have been extracted using unethical practices. These include child labour, forced labour, armed conflict and forced evictions.
The violence and exploitation has been ongoing for nearly 30 years, resulting in the deaths of over six million people, over 500,000 women have been raped and nearly eight million people have been displaced to camps. Whilst continuing to escalate, more people have begun speaking up and advocating for the DRC.
“The DRC, rich in minerals like coltan and cobalt, continues to be exploited for its resources. These minerals power the very devices we use daily, including smartphones and laptops” says Stand For Congo, a UK based group that advocates and organises protests for the DRC. These essential minerals cause Western countries and powerful companies to rely on the instability of the country and benefit from the extreme forced labour as it causes the minerals to be mined quicker and in greater quantities.
“Armed groups exploit workers and fund the violence with mining profits”, adds the activists. The Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have been taking over the south of the country and causing further violence. Rwanda is set to gain billions in revenue from its illicit mineral trade.
Many companies can be held responsible for the ongoing exploitation. A major tech company that has reportedly contributed to the suffering of Congolese people is Apple. Many people have protested outside of Apple stores with the hope that their protest will bring more attention to the cause. Stand for Congo has also said that the DRC has even filed criminal charges against Apple in European courts, accusing the tech giant of profiting from “blood minerals”.
“Lawyers allege Apple misleads consumers into believing its supply chain is ethical, while workers in the DRC endure terrible circumstances” added Stand for Congo. Despite this, Apple denies any wrongdoing, claiming they stopped receiving resources from the DRC due to the worsening conflict, stating they use recycled materials instead.
In a media statement on December 19 2024, Apple said: “As conflict in the region escalated earlier this year, we notified our suppliers that their smelters and refiners must suspend sourcing from the DRC”. The tech company also added that they have allegedly increased support to organisation that provide vital help for communities in the region.
Many other companies that are allegedly bleeding the DRC dry include Alphabet Inc, the parent company of Google, Dell and Microsoft. These companies were all additionally accused of “knowingly benefiting from and aiding and abetting the cruel and brutal use of young children in the DRC to mine cobalt.” The said corporations, along with Apple, are the USAs biggest tech companies.
Stories coming from the ground shed light on the horrific conditions the civilians must undergo. A young woman who is living in the DRC and preferring to stay anonymous, said “there is a two-year-old child here with an STI, and the mother of that child is a 16-year-old girl. That is our reality here.”
Other stories coming out of the DRC, many that can be found online, include a 13 year old boy called Kauka, who was kidnapped and forced to become a child soldier: “After many months of torturing I managed to escape and made it into a refugee camp in Kenya.” Another is of a young 13-year-old girl who gave birth, and a group of men raped the newborn baby in front of her afterwards. It is reported that the DRC is the most dangerous place on earth for women.
Team Congo, another essential activist group that began as a result of the violence and exploitation, continues to fight for justice whilst informing everyone on what can be done to help the people of the DRC:
- Consider opting for a refurbished phone instead of a brand new one.
- Before purchasing a new phone truly assess your needs to reduce impulsive consumption.
- Raise awareness among your peers about the importance of curbing the frenetic purchase of new phones and other electronic devices.
- Attend protests organised by advocate groups.
Despite having high hopes, the conflict has not reduced but has become worse. Terrible living conditions continue as the M23 rebel group continues to take over the south of the country, resulting in further chaos and suffering. The latest news story to come out of the DRC, has gained a large amount of media attention. This has allowed for the pain being endured by Congolese people to gain some awareness.
The United Nations reports that female inmates were burned alive in Munzene prison in the DRC after a mass jailbreak took place now that the M23 rebel group began to take over the city. The UN-sponsored Radio Okapi reported on Monday that the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have been battling with Congolese forces over control of the city of Goma and have advanced siege over the city.
On January 27, male inmates in Munzene prison, located in the city of Goma, took advantage of the chaos and plotted a mass escape. More than 4,000 inmates fled the prison. During the mass jailbreak, the male inmates made their way to the female wing of the prison where female inmates were attacked. An internal UN document, seen by the BBC says that around 165 women were assaulted by the male inmates during the jailbreak. The report also states most of the women were killed after the prison was set on fire.
Unfortunately, horrifying events like these are common stories to come out of the DRC and have been for decades. The grievous human right abuses in the country continue to grow as tech companies and world leaders either choose to reject accusations or not acknowledge them causing the suffering of Congolese people to continue.
A rare acknowledgment and disapproval of the ill treatment was made by Pope Francis. It is reported that he has condemned “economic colonialism” in Africa and has denounced the “poison of greed” for the natural resources in the DRC after his visit to the country.
With conflict continuing, Angola, who has been playing a mediator role, says that plans have been made for the DRCs government and the M23 rebel group to participate in peace talks on March 18. The office of João Lourenço, the president of Angola, said they will begin “direct peace negotiations” in the capital of Angola, Luanda. Whilst there were planned talks between the DRC and Rwanda late last year that were unexpectedly cancelled, the DRCs president Felix Tshisekedi visited Angola on Tuesday to discuss peace talks.
Ultimately, the exploitation in the DRC is not merely a historical tragedy but an ongoing injustice that needs the world’s joint effort. It is a stark reminder that the fight for justice is far from over. As long as nothing is done, the echoes of their pain will continue to reverberate through the world.