TV News LIES

Monday, Jun 30th

Last update07:52:52 AM GMT

You are here News Human Rights What’s in your smartphone? Blood electronics

What’s in your smartphone? Blood electronics

E-mail Print PDF

Blood electronicsArming militias in a war-torn region of Africa? There’s an app for that.

By now, just about everyone has heard of blood diamonds, but you may not know their close cousins: “conflict minerals.” They include metals such as gold, tantalum, tungsten and tin, used to fuel your smartphone’s vibration mode or help maintain your camera’s battery life. In fact, they exist in just about every computer or electronic gadget you own.

They are heavily sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where warlords control mines and smuggling routes, profiting to the tune of more than $185 million annually by terrorizing locals into extracting the metals for little or no pay.

Human rights groups report that more than 5 million Congolese have been killed by the militias, which, in addition to mining, force children to serve as soldiers and sexual slaves. Once the ill-gotten metals are mixed in smelters, it is impossible to trace to their source.

“The direct connection between our consumer appetites and violence in eastern Congo is a result of this: your cell phone,” said John Prendergast, holding up his own smart device. Prendergast is co-founder of the Enough Project, a humanitarian organization that has studied the sources and use of conflict minerals.

More...

 


Most Recent Related Stories...


Federal agents blast way into California home of woman and small children

Feds blast into home wth childrenFederal agents blasted their way into a residential home in Huntington Park, California, on Friday. Security-camera...

US supreme court allows Trump officials to deport migrants to countries other than their own –

Plane used in deportations The US supreme court on Monday paved the way for the Trump administration to resume deporting...

Man wrongfully deported to El Salvador must be returned to US, court rules

Man wrongfully seant to El Salnedvador must be retur An appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to return a man wrongfully deported to El...

Judge denies government attempt to keep Abrego Garcia in detention; hearing set on release

Garcia releaseA federal judge in Tennessee has ruled that a Salvadoran migrant at the heart of the...
 
America's # 1 Enemy
Tee Shirt
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
TVNL Tee Shirt
 
TVNL TOTE BAG
Conserve our Planet
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
Get your 9/11 & Media
Deception Dollars
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
The Loaded Deck
The First & the Best!
The Media & Bush Admin Exposed!