On March 21, Free The Slaves wrote a letter of support to Californian Senator Ellen M. Corbett, applauding her introduction of bill SB 861. A landmark piece of legislation, SB 861 prevents publicly traded companies from obtaining procurement contracts with the Californian State if found by the Securities and Exchange Commission of being in non-compliance with federal law relating to conflict minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Read: FTS co-signs letter urging Clinton: Don’t delay conflict minerals law
Embedded within the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act—a series of financial reform measures enacted by President Obama in July 2009—is a regulatory provision relating to the DRC. Under this provision, companies are required by federal law to report on their mineral supply chains, disclose whether they are sourcing minerals from the DRC or its neighbors, and exercise due diligence to ensure that they are not inadvertently serving to fund armed groups committing atrocities there.
Read: Several types of slavery linked to Congo’s mining industry
Greed for Congo’s mineral wealth on the part of armed groups and rebel militias has been instrumental in fueling the war and associated atrocities in the country. In collaboration with two Congolese human rights organizations, Free the Slaves has documented the prevalence of multiple forms of modern slavery in mining areas of North Kivu, eastern Congo. These abuses include forced labor and debt bondage connected directly to mining activities. Slavery in eastern Congo also includes the use of child soldiers, the abuse of children in prostitution, and other forms of sexual slavery. These abuses constitute recognized violations of slavery and human trafficking under international law and relevant U.S. laws.
The armed groups perpetuating violence in the DRC finance themselves through the trade of four main minerals: tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold—essential raw materials in electronics products such as cell phones, digital cameras and laptops. Free The Slaves, which represents over 3,200 Californian constituents, stressed in its letter to Senator Corbett that whilst California is rightly proud of its high-tech industry, the State should not be spending tax dollars on companies that fail to comply with federal law.
The Californian bill aims to help curb the multi-million dollar trade in illegally extracted minerals from eastern Congo by incentivizing company compliance with federal regulations; influencing the State’s electronics industry leaders as they decide whether or not to invest in the DRC and ensure that their supply chains are transparent.
The letter ended by emphasizing that SB 861 could help neutralize one of the key economic drivers of the conflict in Congo and protect the country’s children from a future stigmatized by violence and brutality. Through its passage California has the opportunity to show, once again, that it is a leader in protecting the rights of the most vulnerable by encouraging the development of verifiably conflict-free products.
The California State Senate Committee on Government Organization, Chaired by Senator Wright will hold a hearing on April 12, 2011 at 9:30 am in the State Capitol, Room 4203. This hearing will determine whether SB 861 will continue in its course to be signed into law by the State’s Governor.
Free The Slaves eagerly awaits the swift passage of the bill.
To read a PDF of our letter, click here. Or read the text in full after the jump!
Senator Ellen M. Corbett
State Capitol, Room 313
Sacramento, CA 95814March 21, 2011
RE: Support for SB 861
Dear Senator Corbett:
Free The Slaves applauds your introduction of SB 861, prohibiting California State contracts with companies that fail to comply with federal reporting requirements on Congo’s conflict minerals. As one of the largest anti-slavery organizations in the U.S., Free The Slaves represents over 3,200 Californian constituents who are watching with increasing concern and outrage the escalating crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The conflict in Congo is the deadliest since World War II, claiming more than 5.4 million lives since 1998. Ongoing conflict has also given rise to severe human rights abuses. Free the Slaves and Congolese human rights organizations have documented multiple forms of modern slavery in mining areas of North Kivu, eastern Congo. These abuses include forced labor and debt bondage connected directly to mining activities. Slavery in eastern Congo also includes the use of child soldiers, the abuse of children in prostitution, and other forms of sexual slavery. These abuses constitute recognized violations of slavery and human trafficking under international law and relevant U.S. laws.
SB 861 is a landmark piece of legislation that will help curb the multi-million dollar trade in illegally extracted minerals from eastern Congo. Greed for Congo’s mineral wealth on the part of armed groups and rebel militias has been instrumental in fueling the war and associated atrocities in the DRC, including slavery. The armed groups that are perpetuating the violence finance themselves through the trade in four main minerals: tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold – essential raw materials for electronics products such as cell phones, digital cameras and laptops. California is rightly proud of its high-tech industry, but should not be spending tax dollars on companies that fail to comply with federal law.
Federal legislation enacted last July as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act requires companies to report on their mineral supply chains, disclose whether they are sourcing minerals from the DRC or its neighbors, and exercise due diligence to ensure that they are not inadvertently serving to fund armed groups committing atrocities there. The passage of SB 861 will be pivotal in incentivizing compliance with these Federal Regulations.SB 861 can help neutralize one of the key economic drivers of the conflict in Congo and protect the country’s children from a future stigmatized by violence and brutality. By passing it, California has the opportunity to show, once again, that it is a leader in protecting the rights of the most vulnerable in the world by encouraging the development of verifiably conflict-free products.
Free The Slaves looks forward to swift passage of SB 861. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email or phone with any questions.
Thank you for your consideration,
Karen Stauss
Director of Programs
Free The Slaves
