Essay (draft)

One of the many definitions of globalisation is the increasing cross-border interaction and integration of various aspects of human activity such as economic activity. Since the start of human history, humans have always been interacting with other humans in distant places in search of better life (Chanda, 2008). Humans are able to transfer beneficial knowledge and progress. Technologies that developed allowed communication with faraway places. Thus globalisation has resulted in the world to be an interconnected space. Yet globalisation do have its shortcomings as well. Amidst all this positivity that globalisation brings, globalisation has its fair share of problems. Wars and conflicts have always existed since the ancient times and despite the progress globalisation brings, has not reduced nor prevent further conflicts. Ironically, there are examples of globalization-induced wars (Bauman, 2001) where the fruits of some of our progress are fuelling conflicts in other parts of the world like Africa. One such case is the issue of conflict minerals in Congo being fuelled by globalisation.

The issue of conflict-minerals is very well known with several countries in Africa known to export ‘blood minerals’ or conflict-minerals notably, Democratic Republic of Congo (“Tech companies make progress on ‘blood phones’ and ‘conflict minerals’ - CNN.com,” n.d.). A conflict mineral is defined as “columbite-tantalite (coltan), cassiterite, gold, wolframite, or their derivatives; or any other mineral or its derivatives determined by the U.S. Secretary of State to be financing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”) or an adjoining country.” (Reform, 2011) Congo has been conflict torn over the possession of precious minerals tantalum, tin, gold and tungsten which are used frequently in many of our IT devices including mobile devices (“Conflict Minerals | RAISE Hope for Congo,” n.d.). These highly sought minerals has fuelled the need to possess them and razed conflicts in the torn nation. Armed groups aiming to earn high profit from the sale and export of such precious minerals has left the country in ravages. They hold workers at gunpoint forcing them to work for cheap or no pay. (“Tech companies make progress on ‘blood phones’ and ‘conflict minerals’ - CNN.com,” n.d.)

In a highly globalized world of today, many global powerful brands highly influences the choices and way of life of many consumers in the world. Many corporations influences the general populace by creating brands and therefore attaining consumer support. Yet most consumers are concerned if the products they buy have issues surrounding ethical corporate behaviour. Consumer will make changes to their purchasing habits against errant corporations (Creyer, 1997). Number one brand in the Forbes list, Apple Inc. (“The World’s Most Powerful Brands List - Forbes,” n.d.) has been found to make use of such conflict minerals in its devices. It has resulted in many consumers unknowingly supported the bloodshed in the conflict-torn Congo. The unintended global support for more conflict minerals, has generated billions in revenue from the sale of Apple devices while plunging Congo further down the depths of conflict.

Fortunately, not the entire world have been ignorant of this issue. Efforts have been made to counter the export and consumption of blood minerals. ‘Enough Project’ aims to bring awareness to the masses and aims to discourages big corporations from utilising ‘conflict-minerals’ (“Apple Makes New Pledges on Conflict Minerals, Should Begin Clean Congo Sourcing Program | Enough Project,” n.d.). Consumers are made aware and will make the responsible choice of not supporting companies and brands that are adamant in still using the ‘blood-minerals’ in their products and devices (Creyer, 1997). Companies have also pledge to do so in a global concerted effort. Apple Inc. has joined the Public Private Alliance on Responsible Minerals Trade and is one of the many corporations alongside governments and civil societies (“Apple Makes New Pledges on Conflict Minerals, Should Begin Clean Congo Sourcing Program | Enough Project,” n.d.). This will ensure the minerals attained are ‘clean’ and therefore reduce the globalised need for the ‘conflict-minerals’. Thus hopefully ending the conflicts that arise in Congo as the result of such minerals.

References:

Apple Makes New Pledges on Conflict Minerals, Should Begin Clean Congo Sourcing Program | Enough Project. (n.d.). Retrieved October 06, 2013, from http://www.enoughproject.org/blogs/apple-new-pledges-conflict-minerals-clean-congo

Bauman, Z. (2001). Wars of the Globalization Era. European Journal of Social Theory, 4(1), 11–28. doi:10.1177/13684310122224966

Chanda, N. (2008). Runaway globalization without governance. Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism …, 14, 119–125. Retrieved from http://journals.rienner.com/doi/pdf/10.5555/ggov.2008.14.2.119

Conflict Minerals | RAISE Hope for Congo. (n.d.). Retrieved October 06, 2013, from http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/initiatives/conflict-minerals

Creyer, E. H. (1997). The influence of firm behavior on purchase intention: do consumers really care about business ethics? Journal of Consumer Marketing, 14(6), 421–432. doi:10.1108/07363769710185999

Reform, W. S. (2011). Conflict minerals. Journal of Chemical Health and Safety, 18(1), 49–50. doi:10.1016/j.jchas.2010.10.004

Tech companies make progress on “blood phones” and “conflict minerals” - CNN.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 03, 2013, from http://www.cnn.com.sg/2012/08/16/tech/gaming-gadgets/congo-blood-phones-report/index.html

The World’s Most Powerful Brands List - Forbes. (n.d.). Retrieved October 05, 2013, from http://www.forbes.com/powerful-brands/list/