When you bought you last computer or cell phone did it come with the message "the production for this computer was made possible by the abuse of child labour in the Congo?" No? Neither did mine but, in reality, there is a good chance that this statement reveals the truth. So what, you may ask. is the connection between your electronic equipment and child labour abuse in the Congo.

The answer is Coltan, an ore that is used to produce niobium and tantalum, the latter of which is used to make capacitors for electronic equipment from DVD players to cell phones and computers, and the Congo is a country rich in this natural resource. Like a lot of natural resources, following the discovery of its uses, prices surged and thus corporations and government of the Congo rushed to grab a share of this new and valuable resource. However, none of this newfound wealth found its way into the pockets of the ordinary citizen of the Congo, who were destined to remain in poverty. It was secreted into the coffers of the corporation or government officials, or plundered by rebels and other nations during one of the country's many civil and cross border conflicts.

The greed and desire to take control of this resource, thereby benefiting from profits made as a result of the sale of Coltan, eventually led to a significant level of over-production and prices plummeted. Whilst the processors, exporters and users of the tantalum elements are still making profits, the workers are being rewarded with a pittance of less than $1 a day for their efforts.

Coltan is extracted from the ground by a process of mining and this is where the children come into the equation. As Mvemba Phezo Dizolele's (2007) article shows, partially due to the fact that many of the adults are involved with the bitter disputes that plague the Congo, together with the need for them to help provide food for their impoverished families, children are being forced to work in these mines.

In the west, the dark days of the abuse of child labour, particularly in mining, are distant history and this situation is no longer acceptable or allowable. In the Congo and other African sub-Saharan countries, those dark days are still every day events. This begs the question "who should take a stand against abusive child labour being used in Congo to dig out Coltan?" The simple answer is commercial and international organisations and us individually, as global citizens, should all share in this responsibility.

Following

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Who should take a stand against abusive child labor being used in Congo to dig out coltan??
We want to hear your view. Write now!