Have you ever wondered where you'd stand in history during events like slavery, apartheid in South Africa, the forced displacement of indigenous peoples, the Armenian genocide, or the Holocaust? If so, take a moment to reflect: Are the Congolese people deserving of your attention and support? Are they worth boycotting companies for? After pondering these questions, you may already know which side you'd be on.

"You can’t convince yesterday’s colonizer that today’s colonizer is wrong." Let its meaning sink in.

Photo by Zach Wear on Unsplash

Erased Souls

The unsolved resolutions, the draft proposals left unimplemented, are costing lives.

The genocide in the Democratic Republic of the Congo stands as one of the most tragic events in world history, resulting in the deaths of eight to ten million people and leaving countless others seriously injured.

Yes.

Eight million souls.

Can you truly grasp what that means? 800 000 lives lost.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

No, that was not near 8 million.

The genocide in the Congo is one of the most forgotten crimes against the African people.

A Brief History Of The Democratic Republic of the Congo

The history of the country's statehood began as the private property of the king (the Congo Free State), then the country became a colony (the Belgian Congo), and finally gained independence in 1960 and was named the Republic of the Congo. Later, the name of the country changed three times historically due to the era of colonial rule and political events. The changes were as follows: The Democratic Republic of the Congo — Zaire — Democratic Republic of the Congo again.

Pre-clonal time: Even before the colonial times, there were contradictions in the country during the 15th and 17th centuries. Important historical States emerged in the Sahara region: The Kingdom of Congo, Luba and Lunda. Their political system implied the existence of the power of the king, backed by military force. This era also saw the widespread slave trade and continual power struggles among competing factions for royal power.

Colonial times: In 1885, Leopold II, King of Belgium, created the Congo Free State on these lands and decided to enrich himself by collecting and exporting natural rubber. His policy was extremely cruel and (5-10) million of the country's inhabitants became victims[2]. Further, in 1908, the king sold the state to the Belgian government, and thus the country became a colony of Belgium and was renamed the Belgian Congo.

An independent state: After gaining independence in 1960, the Republic of the Congo suffered from the Congolese crisis[3], formed as a result of contradictions between the conservative President Joseph Kasa-vubu and the more liberal-minded Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba.

The desire for independence among several territories, beginning with the Katanga region and spreading to others, reinforced the tensions. The Prime Minister tried to fight separatism while using harsh measures. However, his assassination by soldiers only fueled further uprisings. This resulted in a military coup and the establishment of a personal dictatorship. The resulting instability led to the outbreak of the First and Second Congolese Wars, which resulted in millions of deaths before 2002.

Stains Of Blood In Your Hand, And It Is Not Your Fault--Or Is It?

What does injustice mean to you, and when does it become intolerable? Is it when you read that many countries use machines for mining, but in the DR Congo, people, including children and women that have babies strapped to their backs, are compelled to dig with their bare hands for over 12 hours a day, earning barely enough to cover basic necessities. Does this inequality trouble you?

Perhaps it's easier for us [You] to speak out against injustice than to actively address it.

“The bottom of the supply chain, where almost all the world's cobalt is coming from, is a horror show.” — Siddharth Kara, author of “Cobalt red”, NY Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist

An artisanal miner carries a sack of ore at the Shabara artisanal mine near Kolwezi, DRC, on Oct. 12, 2022. Junior Kannah/AFP via Getty Images

DR Congo's heavy reliance on minerals like cobalt for its economic sustenance, it's evident that there are workers engaged in extracting these minerals for exportation. However, it's regrettable that those involved in cobalt mining labor in DR Congo are working in terrible working conditions, which we will address in more detail.

Kara, a researcher at Harvard University's Kennedy School, who has been researching the problems of modern slavery, human trafficking and child labor for two years, shared that there are more cobalt reserves in the Congo than in the rest of the planet combined. In her book “Cobalt red” she highlights that cobalt mining is carried out by workers doing extremely dangerous work for an unfair amount that is equivalent to a few dollars a day.

“People work in inhuman, grinding, degrading conditions. They use picks, shovels, and pieces of rebar to cut and dig through trenches, pits, and tunnels to collect cobalt and feed it into the official supply chain.”

— Siddharth Kara, the book “Cobalt red”

Moreover, the mining industry has radically changed the nature of the country: many trees have been cut down, the air is constantly filled with dust, and people are forced to breathe it… Kara continues: “Cobalt is toxic when touched and breathed – and hundreds of thousands of poor Congolese touch and inhale it day after day. Young mothers with babies strapped to their backs, all inhale this toxic cobalt and dust.”

Was Corruption Destined for DR Congo?

When examining the economy of the DR Congo, it's evident that the country possesses abundant natural resources, yet simultaneously suffers from poverty, insufficient infrastructure, and corruption, among other challenges. This explains why the extraction and export of minerals like copper, cobalt, and diamonds form the most important and strongest part of the DR Congo's economy.

Undoubtedly, corruption is an incredibly important part of the problem. Congo is an impoverished country[1]and has been subject to wars, slave trade, looting and instability for a long time. Well-known foreign companies offer a large amount of money to carry out activities to extract the minerals they need.

What if corruption didn’t exist in DR Congo? Can a country rich in resources stay free from corruption, or is it destined for DR Congo to be a corrupt country?

President Patrice Lumumba, the first ruler of an independent republic elected through democratic elections after independence in 1960, promised that the country's wealth (including mineral resources) would be used for the benefit of the inhabitants. Within six months, he was overthrown and brutally murdered, and his body was dissolved in acid. In the shortest possible time, he was replaced by a corrupt dictator who returned mining to the “right track”.

Reliable charitable organizations to make donations:

UN Democratic Republic of the Congo Humanitarian Fund: https://crisisrelief.un.org/t/drc#:~:text=The%20Democratic%20Republic%20of%20the,managed%20locally%20under%20UN%20leadership.
Save the Children: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/democratic-republic-of-congo
UNHCR Fund: https://donate.unhcr.org/int/en/democratic-republic-congo-emergency

Remember:

Letting greed come before humanity, turning a blind eye to the suffering, is a choice.
Just like that their futures were/ and still are erased, as the world[You] remains silent it is causing the resolutions to remain unresolved.
The following companies use slave labor from Congo: Electra Battery Materials Corp, Apple, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, Tesla, Samsung, Sony, Mercedes, Volkswagen, LG.[4], is buying from them still worth it?

Notes:

1. Comparing atrocities should never diminish the suffering of any group. Each tragedy deserves recognition and remembrance on its own terms. When posing questions about historical events, the intention isn't to equate or downplay their severity. Instead, it's to prompt readers to reflect on their moral stance in history, not through comparison, but through reflection on the ethical lessons of our time.
Periods are put when the sentence ends, I didn't see the point in putting a period at the end of the number 1, when the lives of innocent people aren't ending.
It's clear that the devices we rely on are made with the labor of workers in Congo mining cobalt. Remaining silent while these workers endure harsh conditions doesn't sit right with us. Our devices run on batteries, and what do these batteries contain? Cobalt- mined by Congolese workers who are paying with their health and lives. Knowing this, we can't stay silent. We feel a moral obligation to consistently address the human rights of Congolese workers, as long as the battery in our phone remains charged.

Refrences

[1] “What we do.” UNICEF, https://www.unicef.org/drcongo/en/what-we-do. Accessed 15 April 2024.

[2] “The Free State of the Congo, a hidden history of genocide - Col·leccio Marull.” Ajuntament Barcelona, https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/gabinetpostal/lestat-lliure-del-congo-un-genocidi-a-lombra/?lang=en. Accessed 18 April 2024.

[3]“Congo Crisis.” Oxford Reference, https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095632191. Accessed 28 April 2024.

[4] Ogao, Emma. “US court absolves top tech companies in Congo's child labor case.” ABC News, 6 March 2024, https://abcnews.go.com/International/us-court-absolves-top-tech-companies-congos-child/story?id=107839639. Accessed 22 April 2024.

Was The New Technology Worth It Even If It Cost The Lives Of A Child, A Mother And A Father?