Legislation, Regulation & Activism
February 4, 2017: Congo's Violent Kleptocracy at a Crossroads
While the Congolese government and opposition recently signed an agreement that could lead to the first ever peaceful, democratic transition of power, there are many impending challenges that stand in the way of implementation. Sasha Lezhvev and John Prendergast of the Enough Project, outline the ways in which Joseph Kabila could obstruct implementation of the agreement. They highlight the five main benchmarks of their agreement:
Read op-ed here. |
August 11, 2015: Enough Project op-ed on bipartisan LRA bill
Boston for Congo Co-Founder Garrett Moore published a guest opinion with the Enough Project in support of bipartisan legislation regarding the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA is a Ugandan rebel group notorious for committing mass atrocities throughout central Africa and targeting children in crimes against humanity and war crimes. Read opinion here. Contact your members of Congress in support of the LRA legislation. |
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July 20, 2015: Enough Project launches The Sentry
Partner organization, the Enough Project, launched The Sentry, an initiative to investigate and dismantle the financial network bolstering mass atrocity in Africa. The Sentry was co-founded by actor George Clooney and activist John Prendergast. Its team of activists, policy specialists, and financial and international lawyers seek to: alter the incentives for funding or profiting from violence and mass atrocities. This will lend greater support to broader accountability measures as well as provide leverage to peace efforts aimed at ending Africa’s deadliest conflicts. Watch and share their new multimedia and social media. Submit anonymous tips on financial support for conflict and atrocities in Congo, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Sudan, and Somalia. |
TRAILER CONGO TRIBUNAL from IIPM on Vimeo. |
June 28, 2015: Berlin hearings held for "The Congo Tribunal" film
All actors in the 20 year conflict in the Congo were put on trial in the pseudo-international tribunal. "The resources are divided very badly. A small group of people takes it all. The rest struggles in misery" explains Pastor Théophile Gakinz of Bukavu. Supranational corporations, international NGOs, and even the national government were put on trial during the hearings in Bukavu and Berlin. In addition, the "cast" includes "opposition politicians, military officers and rebels, UN and World Bank mandarins and major mining companies, as well as ordinary Congolese citizens, philosophers, economists and lawyers who will all appear before an international jury." The Guardian writes that the film will be available in the Fall of 2016. Learn more about the project here. See international news coverage here. |
June 22, 2015: Rwandan military leader arrested in London for alleged atrocities in Congo
Karenzi Karake, Rwanda's director general for national intelligence and security services, was arrested by officials in London for alleged atrocities committed against Congolese and Spanish nationals in eastern Congo and Rwanda between 1994-1997. Spanish news describes Karake's 2008 indictment for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, various charges related to terrorism, and connection to the deaths of three Spanish NGO workers in 1997. Hear author and writer Philip Gourevitch discuss the legitimacy of the indictments. Read full coverage from the UK here. Read full coverage from Spain here. |
April 16, 2015: US State Dept demands justice for peaceful protestors detained in Congo
"The United States calls on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure that these detainees, and all detainees, are afforded full due process and released immediately if no charges are warranted." Join Congolese citizens, diaspora, and NGOs across the globe to demand peace and justice in Congo. The DOS statement refers specifically to protestors arrested in the #Filimbi and #Lucha demonstrations in Kinshasa and Goma. It emphasizes the importance of respect for the Congolese constitution as elections approach. Read full press release by the US State Dept here |
April 2, 2015: "The Promise of Peace: UNSC Resolutions 2098 and 2147 and the Protection of Congolese Civilians"
Danielle Allyn, a senior at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Midatlatnic Campus Organizer for the Enough Project and role-model activist completes her thesis, "The Promise of Peace: UNSC Resolutions 2098 and 2147 and the Protection of Congolese Civilians." A fantastic resource, educational read and well-researched publication, Allyn's thesis addresses the pressing issues surrounding MONUSCO's involvement in civilian life and includes her personal interviews with DRC locals. Read our full-feature including Danielle Allyn's bio and thesis here. Support the Carolina CFCI here. |
March 31, 2015: President Obama meets with President Kabila and promotes fair elections
"President Obama spoke today with President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The President emphasized the importance of timely, credible, and peaceful elections that respect the DRC's constitution and protect the rights of all DRC citizens." Read full release at Office of the Press Secretary |
March 25, 2015: Boston for Congo celebrates its one year anniversary
Boston for Congo (BFC) celebrates one year of activism and policy work for sustainable peace and development in Congo and the Great Lakes Region of Africa. Here are some highlights from this year:
Goals for 2015:
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February 13, 2015: European parliament deliberating binding conflict minerals law
The European Parliament (EP) is considering legislation similar to the United States Dodd-Frank Section 1502 regarding mandatory reporting of conflict minerals (CM) use. Critiques of the proposal describe it as imposing "unrealistic obligations" on European corporations. However, as the United States nears its second reporting of CM use, corporate leaders like Intel and Motorola (including SfH) are creating and inspiring paths to conflict-free sourcing from the Congo. As members of the EP have described, the voluntary conflict mineral certification passed last year "lacks ambition", demanding that European companies take greater responsibility in improving peace in eastern Congo. See discussion of EP bill importance here See legislative path here |
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January 31, 2015: Growing support for Oscar-nominated Virunga
The oscar-nominated documentary Virunga follows the efforts of park rangers in Virunga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in eastern Congo, to protect the endangered mountain gorillas and other wildlife from alleged illicit acts by officials of supranational corporations like Soco International, the Congolese government, and rebel groups like the now disbanded M23. Attention to the film produced Leonardo Dicaprio is rising quickly, with Bill and Hillary Clinton, Ann Curry, and Jonah Hill all publicly displaying their support. |
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January 22, 2015: ICC Chief Prosecutor Statement on Captured LRA Commander Dominic Ongwen
International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda joins the UN Secretary General, NGOs, and policy analysts to call on all regional and international players to remain committed to a permanent end to the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group through peaceful defection of remaining combatants. LRA leader Dominic Ongwen arrived at the ICC on January 20. He faces 33 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes for brutal atrocities committed in Congo, Uganda, CAR, and South Sudan. See Chief Prosecutor's statement in French and Acholi (Uganda). |
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December 9, 2014: Lasell for Congo 2014 - #CongoGold
Boston for Congo Advocacy Intern, Stella Edwards, produced a 2014 update on conflict minerals in the Congo and activities by Lasell 4 Congo and partner organizations Congo Action Now and the Enough Project. Get engaged with #CongoGold. Boston for Congo youtube channel |
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December 7, 2014: Academy Award Winner Kathryn Bigelow's Short Film Illustrating Human Toll of Ivory Trade
Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow made this PSA to highlight some of the violent groups and individuals supported by the ivory trade, including some committing atrocities in Congo such as the Lord's Resistance Army and soldiers of the Congolese Army (FARDC). Support efforts to stop the trade in ivory, see 96 Elephants Recent updates on armed groups profiting from illicit trade |
October 29, 2014: Archbishop of Bukavu in Congo calls on European Parliament to pass binding resolution on conflict minerals
Archbishop Francois-Xavier , an outspoken advocate of conflict-free resources, joins the global call for the European Parliament to pass a binding resolution that will ensure companies in member states inform the public of whether or not they source from conflict mines in the Congo, perpetuating the most deadly war since World War II. He emphasizes that Europeans have a right to know if products they purchase support conflict globally. Read op-ed by the Archbishop of Bukavu here. |
September 5, 2014: Progress in Rehearing DC Court Decision on Conflict Minerals Rule
The US Court of Appeals for Washington D.C. has expressed interest in rehearing an earlier decision to limit the power of the Dodd-Frank Section 1502 rule requiring companies to declare the conflict-free status of their supply chains, a rule that legal representation for Amnesty International Julie Murray describes as "a commonsense disclosure requirement that provides investors and consumers with key factual information." See Bloomberg article here |
July 15, 2014: Massachusetts email campaign
Boston for Congo and partner organizations Congo Action Now (CAN) and the Enough Project launched an email campaign in support of MA H.2898 A Act Relative to Congo Conflict Minerals. Please support and share to improve US policy affecting peace in the Congo. Sign your letter of support here |
July 8, 2014: Obama Administration Remains Engaged in Great Lakes Region
President Obama signed an executive order expanding sanctions on groups and individuals that support conflict in eastern Congo. Read President Obama's executive order here! For more information, read the fact sheet on the DRC executive order. |
July 1, 2014: Conflict Mineral Laws Taking Off
Dodd-Frank Section 1502 reporting requires are providing results despite limited industry response. For more information, read the article here |
June 10, 2014: Enough Project Impact Report: Dodd-Frank, Conflict Mineral Reforms
Partner organization Enough Project released the report The Impact of Dodd-Frank and Conflict Minerals Reforms on Eastern Congo's War describing how regional and international action has positively impacted violence on the ground in the Congo. Read more about the impact of Dodd-Frank on the DRC war here. |
June 2, 2014: US Companies File Conflict Mineral Reports
June 2nd was the deadline for publicly-traded companies in the United States to file their mandatory conflict mineral impact reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) (Dodd-Frank 1502). However, as international NGO Global Witness warns, many filings were inadequate with questionable due diligence. Consumers, activists, and companies that source from the GLR must follow industry leaders like Motorola Solutions (Solutions for Hope) and Ford Motor Company in supporting conflict-free mining in eastern Congo. Read more about the inaccurate reporting of conflict minerals here |
May 22, 2014: Intel Conflict-Free Mineral Hub
Technology industry leader in conflict-free sourcing Intel released a new web hub to raise awareness of conflict minerals, responsible sourcing, and conflict-free technology components from the Congo. Read Intel's web hub here! Also, read about Intel's CEO, Brian Krzanich, announcing conflict-free microprocessors |
May 3, 2014: EU Strategy on Conflict Mineral Trade
The European Union released it's long-awaited strategy to clean up the trade of minerals source from the GLR. However, as IPIS Research's Anna Bulzomi questions, will the limited strategy be effective? Read more about the EU strategy on conflict minerals here |
April 29, 2014: BFC and CAN discuss Massachusetts Activism for the Congo
Garrett Moore (BFC) and Pat Aron (Congo Action Now) were recently published in the blogs of partner Enough Project and AllAfrica in an op-ed discussing the effectiveness of advocacy for peace in the Congo. Read the full op-ed here! Read the short feature on AllAfrica here |
April 25, 2014: MSBA goes conflict-free
The Minnesota Bar Association (MSBA) passed a resolution lead by World Without Genocide to limit its purchase of technology that uses conflict minerals to further incentivize conflict-free sourcing from the GLR. Read the MSBA resolution here |
June 18th, 2013: Senator Russ Feingold Appointed U.S. Special Envoy to GLR
Secretary Kerry addresses the press to announce the appointment of Senator Russ Feingold as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Greater Lakes Region. Enough Project congratulates Senator Feingold in an open letter. For more information about the Great Lakes Region Special Envoy, read here |
February 11, 2011: Dodd-Frank and U.S. Long Distance Accountability
After the amendment that added Section 1502 to the Dodd-Frank act, JDSupra writers have produced a series of articles explaining the "long distance accountability" of the U.S. for the atrocities occurring in the DRC. JDSupra writers produce articles explaining the companies new responsibilities to the SEC. For a collection of articles on Dodd-Frank and conflict minerals by JDSupra, read on here |