User:Laveah/International Rights Advocates v. Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Tesla

Democratic Republic of the Congo's global supply
The DRC is rich in natural resources such as copper, tin, tungsten, tantalum, gold, and most importantly, cobalt. About seventy-five percent of the cobalt supply globally comes from the Katanga “copperbelt.” This belt is a part of a world-class cobalt and copper deposit that stretches from northeastern Zambia all the way to the southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.[5] Cobalt is a crucial component when it comes to rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which are immensely valuable to companies like Tesla and Apple, who are acclaimed in the field of technology and electronics. In 2016, Amnesty International reported that large-scale mining and processing companies purportedly obtain around 75% of the cobalt mined in the Congo's mineral-rich Katanga and Lualaba provinces. However, these enterprises usually buy their minerals from artisanal mines, adding complexity to the supply chain. This report indicates that child labor is part of the global supply chain because children mine and sell to adult miners, who then sell to licensed buying houses, who sell to large companies. According to the case filed by the International Rights Advocates group, all companies accused in the lawsuit were knowingly profiting and providing provision to the mining system in DRC.[1]

Allegations and Incidents: Instances of Alleged Human Rights Violations
The 2016 Amnesty International report shows that children work in Congo mines and are especially vulnerable to harsh working circumstances, such as carrying 20-40 kilogram sacks of cobalt for 10-12 hours per day on awful roads. This report also states that children are exposed to sexual harassment and abuse. In 2018, a sixteen year a boy was involved in an accident cause by a tunnel collapsed, which left his left leg paralyzed. Another tunnel accident occurred in 2017 where 17 dead bodies where found, and others were unable to be retrieved. The plaintiff claimed that Tesla, Apple, Microsoft, Dell, and Google inability to provide resources and regulations for safe mining activities make them equally responsible for these human rights violations. A major allegation was that these corporations were aware of the conditions of workers at the mines the cobalt they use came from.

Defendants responses[edit]
After the lawsuit was filed against these companies, the respondents moved forward by stating their company's ethics and code of conduct. Apple declined to respond or comment about the lawsuit allegations. Apple also told CNN Business that the company “remains deeply committed to the responsible sourcing of materials into our products.” Apple also shared their full list of cobalt refiners and stated that they do not purchase the cobalt from supply chains that do not meet their standards. They also mentioned the refiners they removed from their chains in 2019. Dell stated that they are “committed to the responsible sourcing of minerals” and upholding the human rights of workers. They also claimed that they have “never knowingly sourced operations using any form of involuntary labor, fraudulent recruiting practices or child labor.” Along with this statement, they claim to have eliminated supply chains if any transgression has been seen. Google has responded by saying that they have been working with industry and supply groups to eliminate the problem. Microsoft and Tesla did not comment on the allegations presented by the International Rights Advocates group. Tesla, however, acknowledged in their 2019 impact report that child abuse did exist in Congo's mining industry. The defendants also claim to have “voluntary programs” to put a stop to the utilization of forced and child labor in their supply chains.

Case Update: Reactions from the IRAAdvocates
The IRAAdvocates stated that they remain committed to ensuring that multinational corporations are held accountable for human rights abuse in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They claimed that they would do so by trying every way possible to appeal. They expressed their disappointment in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s March 5, 2024 decision to not hold Apple, Google, Tesla, Microsoft, and Dell accountable for alleged abuse of child labor in cobalt mines in the DRC.