Global corporations at risk of funding Congolese rebels with conflict minerals
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A year-long investigation by Global Witness has found that Amazon, Sony, and Ericsson likely purchased coltan from mines controlled by the M23 rebel group in the DRC. The coltan is smuggled into Rwanda and processed in China and Kazakhstan. The UN estimates M23 earns nearly £600,000 per month from the coltan tax.
A year-long investigation by the organisation Global Witness has revealed that top global brands including Amazon, Ericsson, and Sony “very likely” purchased coltan sourced from mines held by the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Coltan is an essential raw material for manufacturing mobile phones and computers.
According to Global Witness, the coltan is mined in the Rubaya area of North Kivu province, which holds about 15% of the world’s coltan reserves. The M23 group, believed to be backed by up to 7,000 Rwandan soldiers, seized these mines two years ago and levies a tax on each kilogram of coltan. The United Nations estimates that M23 earns nearly £600,000 per month from the coltan tax in Rubaya, funds used to finance the group’s military operations.
Global Witness says the coltan is smuggled across the border into Rwanda, where it is sold by coltan exporters to intermediaries at smelters in China and Kazakhstan. There, the coltan is processed into tantalum, a key component in the production of capacitors used in electronic devices. The investigators point out that five of the seven largest coltan exporters in Rwanda buy conflict coltan from the DRC.
Alex Kopp, senior policy and advocacy advisor at Global Witness, stated: “Behind our everyday technology lies a supply chain tainted by violence, exploitation, and human suffering.” He called on governments to intervene, hold companies accountable, and impose sanctions on those whose financial activities enable M23.
The investigation also raises questions about the complicity of Rwandan officials. One coltan smuggler asserted that Rwandan authorities are fully aware of the operation. In the past, most coltan was smuggled into Rwanda via loosely monitored border areas, but now large quantities are brought into Rwanda through the DRC border city of Goma, which has been occupied by M23 since last year.
The traceability system used by many international companies to ensure their supply chains are conflict-free, known as the International Tin Supply Chain Initiative (Itsci), is reportedly failing to detect conflict coltan. Global Witness also accuses other programs, such as the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), of potentially failing to detect conflict coltan entering the supply chain.
When asked for comment, Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan said the company is “committed to providing products and services manufactured or supplied in a way that respects human rights and the environment”. She added: “We are requiring additional due diligence from Amazon suppliers linked to the smelters identified in this report.”
A spokesperson for Ericsson said the company treats the allegations “very seriously” and has reviewed the named tantalum smelters based on due-diligence data reported by its suppliers. They said two of the facilities cited appear in Ericsson’s supply-chain data and are currently RMI-recognised, but the company is seeking additional information and has offered to meet with Global Witness.
A spokesperson for Vodafone said it “does not manufacture electronic products, nor does it mine or directly purchase minerals” and relies on certified organisations like RMI to verify the sources of products from third-party suppliers.
