Resource information
This report documents human rights abuses linked to efforts to control two key gold mining areas, Mongbwalu (Ituri District) and Durba (Haut Uélé District) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Findings of the report include:competition to control the gold mines and trading routes has spurred the bloody conflict that has gripped this area since the start of the Congolese war in 1998 and continues to the presentafter 2003 two armed groups, one backed by Uganda and the other by Rwanda, fought for the control of gold-mining areas and trade routeseach group won a gold-rich area but battles in a struggle to control Mongbwalu continued Human Rights Watch researchers documented the slaughter of at least two thousand civilians in the Mongbwalu area alone between June 2002 and September 2004 after peace talks and the installation of a transitional government, multinational corporations nonetheless sought to sign new deals to start gold mining and exploration operations in the rich gold concessions in the northeast AngloGold Ashanti, one of the largest gold producers in the world, established relations with the FNI, one of the armed group responsible for serious human rights abuses including war crimes and crimes against humanity, and who controlled the Mongbwalu area as a company with public commitments to corporate social responsibility, AngloGold Ashanti should have ensured their operations complied with those commitments and did not adversely affect human rights, but this does not seem to have been the case in 2003, an estimated $60 million worth of Congolese gold was exported from Uganda, much of it destined for Switzerland. One of the companies buying gold from Uganda is Metalor Technologies, a leading Swiss refinery the chain of Congolese middlemen, Ugandan traders, and multinational corporations forms an important funding network for armed groups operating in northeastern Congo the international community has failed to effectively tackle the link between resource exploitation and conflict in the Congo. Recommendations of the report include:the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo should urgently investigate and bring to justice those responsible for alleged violations of international humanitarian law in northeastern Congo, including leaders and combatants of groups such as the FNI, UPC and the FAPCthe government should sign up to and implement the standards of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative the armed groups should direct all combatants under your command to observe standards of international humanitarian law, in particular the right to life of civilians and non-combatants AngloGold Ashanti and Anglo American should halt immediately any relationship which benefits, either directly or indirectly, armed groups in Ituri who abuse human rights, in particular the FNIAngloGold Ashanti and Anglo American should urgently review and ensure compliance with the company’s own internal business principles and policies as well as international business norms in your operations in Congo, such as the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, the U.N. Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with regard to Human Rights, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational EnterprisesMetalor Technologies should cease purchasing gold from suppliers in Uganda who may be buying gold from armed groups in northeastern Congo responsible for gross abuses of human rights.
