The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo is accusing Apple of using "illegally exploited" minerals extracted from the country's embattled east in its products, lawyers representing the African country have said.

Kinshasa

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has leveled serious accusations against Apple Inc., claiming that the tech giant utilizes "illegally exploited" minerals in its products. These minerals, according to the DRC government, are sourced from the tumultuous eastern region of the country. The legal team representing the African nation brought these allegations forward, highlighting a significant and contentious issue within the tech industry.

According to a recent report by the American law firm Amsterdam and Partners, Apple is accused of engaging in the smuggling of precious minerals—specifically Tantalum, Tin, and Tanskin—from the DRC through Rwanda. This action allegedly implicates Apple in numerous human rights abuses occurring within the region. The report details the dire conditions within the mines, including the presence of armed militias, extreme violence, mass displacement of the local populace, death, widespread rape, and child labor. Such conditions starkly illustrate the human costs associated with the extraction of these valuable resources.

The heart of the controversy lies within the North and South Kivu provinces of the DRC's east, a region plagued by intense conflict. The ongoing struggle predominantly involves the Congolese army and the M23 rebels, with the conflict leading to the displacement of over 2.7 million people. The DRC government accuses Rwanda of exploiting the situation by looting its resources and supporting the M23 rebels, thereby exacerbating the human rights crises in the area. These actions have led to a staggering human cost, including 15 million deaths, as reported in the allegations. Rwanda, on the other hand, vehemently denies any association with the M23 rebels and dismisses the accusations against Apple as unfounded.



DR Congo accuses Apple of using 'blood minerals' from war-torn east

The three T's, Tantalum, Tin, Tanskin, are at the heart of a diplomatic spat between the DR Congo, Rwanda, and the electronics giant Apple. In a report published on Thursday, the American law firm Amsterdam and Partners accused the tech giant of smuggling these precious Congolese minerals through Rwanda and being complicit in human rights abuses. In these mines you have armed militias, you have extreme violence, you have a loss of control, a destabilisation because of Rwandan backed terror groups that are taking control of the mines, of the supply chains, of the individuals who are living in the area. This is causing mass displacement, this is causing death, this is causing and leading to mass rapes and child labour. The issue lies in the north and south Kivu provinces of eastern DRC, where intense conflict between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels have displaced over 2.7 million people. Both sides often struggle for control of the mines, and Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of looting its resources through its support of the M23. The human cost is huge, 15 million deaths, and it is the work of a neighbouring country Rwanda, who is upset with DRC's abundant strategic resources and has all sense of reason. Rwanda denies all association with the M23 rebels and argues the accusations against Apple are baseless.

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