Congo’s armed rebel group, M23, earns about $300,000 a month by controlling a mining area in the east of the country, according to the UN Security Council.
In April, M23 seized the Rubaya mining area in eastern Congo. More than 15 per cent of the world’s supply of tantalum, a rare metal extracted from coltan, comes from Rubaya, Bintou Keita, head of the UN mission in Congo, told the Security Council.
Unless international sanctions are imposed on those benefiting from this criminal trade, peace will remain elusive and civilians will continue to suffer.
The key mineral is used in the manufacture of smartphones and computers. It ranks among the minerals identified earlier this year in a letter from the Congolese government.
The decades-long conflict in eastern Congo has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. More than 120 armed groups are competing for power, land and valuable mineral resources, while others struggle to protect their communities. The violence has displaced some 6 million people in the east of the country.
M23, or the March 23 Movement, is a rebel military group composed mainly of ethnic Tutsis. They broke away from the Congolese army more than a decade ago. In 2012, they staged a major offensive and captured the provincial capital of Goma near the border with Rwanda.
Congo claims Rwanda has been involved in war crimes in the east, with US and UN experts accusing it of military support for M23. In February, Rwanda admitted it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to ensure its security, pointing to a build-up of Congolese forces near the border.
Last week, a regional court in East Africa began proceedings in a case filed by Congo against Rwanda, accusing it of violating Congo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by sending troops to assist rebels in the east of the country.
