Possible Solutions

1. Making Campuses Conflict-Free

The Conflict-Free Campus Initiative is a nation-wide campaign to build the consumer voice for conflict-free electronics – cell phones, laptops, and other devices that do not finance war in eastern Congo.  It calls for the influence of student leadership and activism to convince university officials and stakeholders to commit to measures  that pressure electronics companies to take responsibility for the minerals in their supply chains, which have been contributing to the ongoing war in Congo. Universities are also a large client for most electronics companies and represent a large portion of the buyers' market for consumer electronics. By raising a big voice as consumers, we can actually bring about a shift in corporate and government policy and help bring peace to Congo. 

2. End the Violence Against Women

 The United States along with the United Nations, European Union, and African Union must promote efforts to start a strong peace process by stepping up diplomacy and demobilize armed groups. They need to also fund programs that provide protection for these women, which will help to end sexual violence. One major step that needs to be taken is to pass the International Violence Against Women Act. 

3. Support Better Livelihoods for Miners

Impoverished Congolese miners and their families are often entirely dependent on their meager income from mining, and they currently have few reliable economic alternatives to lift them out of this severe poverty. International investment should be stepped up in agricultural development initiatives and providing accessible education for these miners to enable them to pursue other ways of making money. 

Kevin Griffith- A Peace Corps Volunteer and Law Student's Opinion on the Coltan War

Kevin Griffith was in the Peace Crops for two years in Uzbekastan, Russia, and Indonesia. He returned to New York where he educated high school drop outs with a Holy Cross Mission group. He then went to India where he worked with a non profit organization that helped build an orphanage for children victims of the tsunami. After studying a law case in Amsterdam for a year, he is now attending Case Western Reserve as a law student.
When I asked him what his opinions were regarding the war in the Congo, he gave me 3 possible solutions/advice for the situation.

1.  A removal of the weapons from the DRC would effectively reduce the violence and crime in the country. This would especially aid in the dealing with Rwandan Hutu rebels in both North and South Kivu. 


2. There should be a security system reform in the DRC, with a new focus on capacity and accountability. The government should be held accountable- if the police are corrupt or steal land from the local citizen, then the courts or military or some system must be able to punish the police. 


3. A better focus on political engagement to improve the government through increased economic transparency, taxes, local elections (decentralisation) , and continuing efforts in trying to sustain stable regional relations.