The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed criminal complaints in France and Belgium against subsidiaries of technology company Apple, accusing it of using conflicting minerals.
Acting on behalf of the Congolese government, the lawyers revealed that Apple is complicit in crimes committed by armed groups that control some of the mines in eastern DR Congo.
In its 2023 review on this matterApple said it is monitoring its supply chain and working to reduce risk and improve traceability.
Authorities in France and Belgium are now considering whether there is enough evidence to take legal action.
In the statementDR Congo lawyers have spoken about the Apple supply chain being contaminated with “blood minerals”.
They suspect that tin, tantalum and tungsten are taken from conflict zones and “laundered through international supply chains”.
“These operations have fueled a cycle of violence and conflict by financing militias and terrorist groups and contributing to child labor and environmental degradation.”
Apple did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment, but in its report to the US Securities and Exchange Commission detailing its actions on the issue in 2023, the company highlights the steps it has taken to ensure it does not use conflict minerals.
“Although Apple does not directly purchase, buy, or source base minerals, we are committed to meeting and exceeding globally accepted due diligence standards for base minerals and recycled materials in our supply chain,” it said.
Because of this, all parties involved in the supply chain must participate in “independent third party conflict mineral audits”. Apple said that by 2023 it had phased out 14 “distillers and refiners” that would no longer participate or do not meet responsible sourcing requirements.
Eastern DR Congo is a major source of minerals and its global drought has fueled wars there for decades.
Rights groups have long suspected that large amounts of minerals from illegal mines, as well as from facilities run by armed groups, are transported to neighboring Rwanda and end up on our phones and computers.
Rwanda has previously described the Congolese government’s legal action against Apple as a lack of news.
It has denied selling conflict minerals to a technology company.
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