Quakers lobby MPs on conflict minerals

'Rather than ruling out trading with particular mining companies, support should be given to raising standards.' Quaker Sandra Dutson, Conflict Minerals Campaign

Quakers spoke in parliament this month about the need to ensure that the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) benefit from minerals mined in their country,

Quaker Sandra Dutson, of the Conflict Minerals Campaign (CMC), told the panel meeting on 16 May, hosted by James Murray MP, that local people must be involved in any work to improve conditions. Rather than ruling out trading with particular mining companies, support should be given to raising standards, she said.

‘The DRC is rich in minerals, especially those used in “green transition” technologies, such as electric cars, but instead of benefiting from this wealth, its people are killed and displaced by fighting over these “conflict minerals”,’ said an article on the Quakers in Britain website.
‘Complicated supply lines, including through Rwanda and China, along with poor governance and poor infrastructure make it difficult to impose conditions on mining companies.’

Lyn Brown MP, shadow minister for Africa, noted the high proportion of the world’s supply in cobalt and copper which come from the DRC and stressed their importance in reaching net zero. She discussed the conflict in the eastern DRC, where Rwanda-backed armed militia group M23 seizes mines and exports the minerals to Rwanda where they are relabeled as coming from Rwanda.

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