Aug 09 2011
Opinion: US policy on Congo conflict minerals well-intentioned, but misguided
There was fraud. Even today with the embargo, people export. Fraud has increased considerably.
But there have been other consequences as well, for example, with other aspects of the local economy. For example, in places like Shabunda, people relied on planes to bring them goods and merchandise – rice, sugar, and so on. Those same planes then left with minerals back to Bukavu. But now that the planes cannot transport minerals [due to the export ban and embargo] they don’t fly there with goods any more. So the impact has been huge in many areas.