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Write to your MEP: Put a stop to conflict minerals

Categories: Articles:Peacemaking | Published: 17/04/2015 | Views: 2176
In sourcing resources coming from conflict-affected or high-risk areas, European businesses are at risk of fuelling violence to the detriment of human rights, peace and development. In this way, “blood minerals” find their way into our computers, our telephones, our cars.

Alerted to this by European citizens, the European Commission has proposed a law aiming to ensure responsible sourcing of minerals by businesses when they source from conflict-affected zones. The stated objective is to break the links between natural resources and conflicts, as is the case in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the last 15 years where populations are made to suffer mutilation, massacres, rape, slavery and massive displacement perpetrated by armed groups whose financing is mainly based upon the riches of the subsoil. 

Unfortunately, the proposed text is largely insufficient. Voluntary, it does not require the businesses concerned to investigate their supply chains but is content only to “encourage” them to do so… 

Let’s demand from European Parliamentarians that they vote in favour of an effective regulation that will contribute to re-establishing peace! Take Action Here  

More than 130 Church leaders support your demand for a more ambitious legislation.







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