New pathways for avoiding blood diamonds?
"The 'blood diamond’ scenario where soldiers force workers to mine at gunpoint is largely absent in Eastern DR Congo. Most miners choose to mine for lack of livelihood alternatives, so stopping or disrupting the trade in minerals will hit the most vulnerable the hardest, and in all likelihood exacerbate conflict dynamics and retard development." Nicholas Garrett, Co-Director of the London and Cambridge-based research, investigations and consultancy firm Resource Consulting Services Limited (RCS), thus summarizes one of the main results of his co-authored report "Trading Conflict for Development". The recently published report takes a different look at the conflict environment in DR Congo by challenging calls to ban or disrupt the trade in cassiterite, coltan, and wolframite. Instead, the authors argue that such measures may additionally endanger the livelihoods of about one million people in Eastern DR Congo and, hence, actually increase the insecure environment in this region.
The authors recognize the contribution of minerals trading to the conflict situation but argue that trade and security issues should be addressed separately. The reduction, and eventual end, of military gain from the minerals trade should be achieved without stopping or disrupting the trade. To this end, the real causes of insecurity in Eastern DR Congo should be tackled: the ubiquitous governance weaknesses and the inability of the Congolese state to maintain the monopoly on violence. Investing in the creation of an economic and political environment that enables legitimate cross-border trade to flourish pays dividends not just for the traders, but also for governments and communities throughout the region. In addition, the authors address the role of neighbouring states and developed countries – and here the recommendation is similar to reports presented on the ECC-Platform in the past: states that import minerals and products containing minerals should regulate their own private sector actors and require evidence that taxes have been paid on the minerals in the DR Congo. (Dennis Taenzler)
The report is available for download here: http://www.crisisstates.com/Publications/tradingConflict.htm
For more information on Resource Consulting Services Limited (RCS), please see www.resourceglobal.co.uk
For more news on minerals, please visit the ECC-Platform.org [http://www.ecc-platform.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory§ionid=10&id=90&Itemid=176]
The authors recognize the contribution of minerals trading to the conflict situation but argue that trade and security issues should be addressed separately. The reduction, and eventual end, of military gain from the minerals trade should be achieved without stopping or disrupting the trade. To this end, the real causes of insecurity in Eastern DR Congo should be tackled: the ubiquitous governance weaknesses and the inability of the Congolese state to maintain the monopoly on violence. Investing in the creation of an economic and political environment that enables legitimate cross-border trade to flourish pays dividends not just for the traders, but also for governments and communities throughout the region. In addition, the authors address the role of neighbouring states and developed countries – and here the recommendation is similar to reports presented on the ECC-Platform in the past: states that import minerals and products containing minerals should regulate their own private sector actors and require evidence that taxes have been paid on the minerals in the DR Congo. (Dennis Taenzler)
The report is available for download here: http://www.crisisstates.com/Publications/tradingConflict.htm
For more information on Resource Consulting Services Limited (RCS), please see www.resourceglobal.co.uk
For more news on minerals, please visit the ECC-Platform.org [http://www.ecc-platform.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory§ionid=10&id=90&Itemid=176]
Published in:ECC-Newsletter, April 2009