DR Congo Issues Formal Notice to Apple Over Alleged Use of Exploited Minerals
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has issued a formal notice to tech giant Apple. The notice, delivered by a team of lawyers including prominent French attorney William Bourdon, accuses Apple of utilizing minerals obtained through illegal means that involve human rights abuses.
Speaking to the BBC’s Newsday programme, William Bourdon emphasized the significance of this action, stating that it marks the beginning of a concerted effort by the DRC to address the unethical extraction and trade of its raw minerals. The formal notice represents the first step in what Bourdon described as a new policy aimed at ensuring the ethical sourcing of natural resources within the country.
The accusations leveled against Apple by the DRC’s legal representatives center on the alleged use of minerals sourced from mines where human rights violations, including those perpetrated by rebel groups, are prevalent. The formal notice serves as a warning to Apple, indicating that legal action will be pursued if the company continues to engage in practices that exploit the DRC’s resources.
Apple has previously denied any involvement in the financing or support of armed groups in the DRC or neighboring countries. However, the DRC’s lawyers assert that Apple is complicit in the exploitation of minerals by purchasing them from suppliers who obtain them through illicit channels.
According to the allegations put forth by the DRC’s legal team, minerals from the eastern regions of the country are smuggled into neighboring Rwanda, where they are laundered before being integrated into the global supply chain. This process, they claim, allows Apple and other companies to benefit from the illicit trade of minerals obtained through exploitation and human rights abuses.
