Global Witness

A Global Witness investigation found over 2,000 tonnes of smuggled Congolese coltan routed through Rwanda into global tech supply chains. The probe links the conflict mineral to major technology brands.

Conflict coltan smuggled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through Rwanda is entering global markets and consumer electronics, despite existing due diligence systems. The article highlights the persistence of conflict coltan in global supply chains, raising concerns about its role in funding conflicts and its presence in popular products.

An investigation by Global Witness found that Amazon, Sony, and Ericsson likely sourced coltan from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) via supply chains controlled by the M23 rebels, who are accused of sexual violence, summary executions, and torture. The minerals are used in phones and were smuggled from mines occupied by the militia.

The global scramble for critical minerals is driving resource extraction conflicts in regions like Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, disproportionately harming indigenous communities and environmental human rights defenders. These defenders, often targeted with violence or forced displacement, advocate for community rights and environmental justice but face high risks, with 146 killed or disappeared in 2024 alone.

Gunmen killed at least 25 people in two separate attacks in Honduras, including 19 workers at a plantation in Trujillo and six police officers in Omoa. The incidents highlight ongoing violence linked to agrarian conflicts and environmental activism in the region.

A massive 11,000-carat ruby was discovered in Burma, believed to be the second-largest ever found, with a higher quality than the largest one found in 1996. The ruby was unearthed near Mogok in the Mandalay region, an area affected by ongoing conflict. The find could be more valuable due to its higher quality.