Sir, – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) produces in excess of 70 per cent of the world’s cobalt, an essential component in the manufacture of iPhones, electric car (EV) batteries and more.
What is of greater import and concern are the statistics behind this fact.
There are approximately 7,000,000 people displaced internally in the DRC – this is twice the displacement of Gaza and Ukraine combined.
There are five top mining companies in the DRC and they are owned by Chinese and European corporations.
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Thousands of people work in these mines on minimal pay or less, where violence, abuse and racism is rampant.
I have never heard an environmentalist, who is anti-fossil fuel and pro tech and EV, mention the DRC and the terrible abuse of human life there.
Their constant orations on the environment ignore the unspoken human sacrifice and mistreatment of workers there. No, the mantra is buy an EV and save the planet, ignoring the abuses that underpin their manufacture!
The global corporations who own the mines oversee and/or choose to ignore such abuses in the pursuit of the components they need to produce their technology, their batteries and, of course, their vast profits.
Perhaps the Apple and Elon Musks of this world should return these profits to the DRC in pursuit of a resolution to the human displacement and human rights abuses there.
We boycott and ban clothing known to be made in sweat shops but somehow are happy to ignore the same abuses in the DRC for cobalt.
Every time we buy a phone or/and EV, we are cooperating in the abuse too.
I think for now, I’ll stick with my efficient diesel car! – Yours, etc,
IAN McCARTHY,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.