I am originally from the North Kivu province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where conflict has been raging for over fifteen years. While that conflict began as a war over larger issues like politics and ethnicity, it has increasingly turned to war of profit, with various armed groups destroying communities by fighting one another over control of key mining areas. The minerals being fought over are part of your daily life. They power your phone, your computer, your music player.

I want an iPhone for the holidays this year - and I do like the iPhone4S - but having monitored mining sites in eastern Congo for several years documenting human rights abuses, I have seen firsthand the rape, violence, and devastation being fueled by the trade in minerals found in electronics products.

I cannot in good conscience purchase a new phone because the gold, tin, tungsten, and tantalum that power it are destroying my home.

Join me in asking Apple to create a conflict-free product that includes conflict-free minerals from eastern Congo that help Congolese communities by the 2013 holiday season. They can pave the way for all companies and consumers to make conflict-free phones and computers that help people in eastern Congo.