Stop the Climate Genocide in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Stop the Climate Genocide in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
The Issue
The DRC produces over 60% of the world's supply of cobalt. Having the largest reserve of cobalt in the world. As of October 2023, 9.6 million Congolese people have been displaced due to violence and rebel attacks. Among the 255,000 Congolese citizens involved in cobalt mining, at least 40,000 are children. These children work in hazardous, small-scale mining operations without adequate equipment or protection, earning less than $2 a day.
Some of the world’s largest tech companies—including Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Dell, and Tesla are all complicit in the genocide of the Congolese people. Several companies are facing challenges related to smuggling, tax evasion by mineral traders, corruption, and dysfunction in traceability systems. These companies have a responsibility to respect human rights in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), and the US government must hold its corporations responsible. Despite their pledges, the international community, media, and political leaders who vowed “never again” have failed to protect the lives of children, women, and men in the DRC. The ongoing atrocities continue, with little intervention from the global community.
We cannot continue to remain silent! We urge you to stand for equality, justice, and human rights:
We implore you to advocate for the following actions:
* Intensify diplomatic efforts to engage with all stakeholders to push for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in DRC.
* Urge the US Government to recognize the genocide of the Congolese people and actively advocate for an end to atrocities by exerting pressure on governing forces in the DRC to secure peace, justice, and stability.
* Impose sanctions on M23 Rebels, Rwanda, Uganda and any other entities involved to cease their involvement in the crisis.
* Ensure that tech companies uphold their responsibility to respect human rights wherever they operate, in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The US government must enforce this corporate responsibility.
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The Issue
The DRC produces over 60% of the world's supply of cobalt. Having the largest reserve of cobalt in the world. As of October 2023, 9.6 million Congolese people have been displaced due to violence and rebel attacks. Among the 255,000 Congolese citizens involved in cobalt mining, at least 40,000 are children. These children work in hazardous, small-scale mining operations without adequate equipment or protection, earning less than $2 a day.
Some of the world’s largest tech companies—including Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Dell, and Tesla are all complicit in the genocide of the Congolese people. Several companies are facing challenges related to smuggling, tax evasion by mineral traders, corruption, and dysfunction in traceability systems. These companies have a responsibility to respect human rights in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), and the US government must hold its corporations responsible. Despite their pledges, the international community, media, and political leaders who vowed “never again” have failed to protect the lives of children, women, and men in the DRC. The ongoing atrocities continue, with little intervention from the global community.
We cannot continue to remain silent! We urge you to stand for equality, justice, and human rights:
We implore you to advocate for the following actions:
* Intensify diplomatic efforts to engage with all stakeholders to push for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in DRC.
* Urge the US Government to recognize the genocide of the Congolese people and actively advocate for an end to atrocities by exerting pressure on governing forces in the DRC to secure peace, justice, and stability.
* Impose sanctions on M23 Rebels, Rwanda, Uganda and any other entities involved to cease their involvement in the crisis.
* Ensure that tech companies uphold their responsibility to respect human rights wherever they operate, in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The US government must enforce this corporate responsibility.
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Petition created on January 3, 2025