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Diamonds and Wars in Africa:

The Case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Global News Digest

November 11, 2003

Mail & Guardian - Johannesburg, SA
New Vision - Uganda

See Related Story: DR Congo on the Brink

"UN to Discuss Link Between Diamonds and DRC War"

The above headline was used in a recent story carried by Johannesburg-based South African daily, Mail & Guardian.

The story identified the on-going war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as "the deadliest conflict since World War II."

According to the M&G, the UN Security Council met on Thursday October 30 to discuss the final report of a three-year study of international trade in African diamonds and minerals, and the link between that booming trade and the war in the Congo and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Illegal trade in diamonds provides a steady supply of arms and munitions to the warring parties and more than 2.5 million people have lost their lives in the Congo conflict alone, according to the story.

The findings in the final report is said to implicate many powerful groups in the illegal funding of the wars using diamond trade proceeds and require delicate handling by the Security Council.

In 2002 the UN panel handling the report disclosed that more than 150 multinational firms, groups and individuals were involved in fanning the war in the DRC. The panel has found that since the war started in 1998, these groups have continued to fuel the conflict through direct and indirect funding. Some of them were found to be in violation of "voluntary business ethics related to trade in conflict zones." More than 60 entities implicated as instigators have responded to the panel and their cases have been "resolved," according to the M&G story. However, others, like South African Diamond giant, De Beers denied the accusations.

Neighboring Countries Implicated

Two countries bordering the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda were also implicated in the report as plunderers of Congo's natural resources and instigators of the war. There is no doubt about Ugandan or Rwandan complicity in escalation of Congo conflict. Both countries have had units of their armed forces actively fighting in DRC territory or have given material support to insurgent factions fighting government forces inside DRC.

According to a November 11 story in Ugandan daily, New Vision, President Yoweri Museveni and his Congolese counterpart, Joseph Kabila have agreed to settle out of court a 1999 suit before the International Court of Justice brought by DRC accusing Uganda of territorial violation.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a large country, abundantly rich in natural resources. It has the world's largest reserves of cobalt and specialized minerals like coltan, used in mobile phones. The country also has rich gold fields.

Despite UN peacekeeper presence and a Security Council arms embargo, the killing has continued.

Human Rights and anti-war activists, including Oxfam International and Human Rights Watch, have asked the Security Council to investigate those multinationals implicated as profiteers from the Congo war. A statement released by the activists said the UN Security Council "can no longer ignore clear evidence linking the exploitation of resources to the war in the Congo."

"It must insist that member states hold the companies and individuals involved to account, including companies based in Western countries. Business must demonstrate its commitment to change the way it operates in conflict situations." the statement read.