Bandi Mbubi: Demand a fair trade cell phone

Summary

In this TED Talk, Morton Bast discusses the dark side of our mobile phones' production, highlighting the connection between the Democratic Republic of the Congo's conflict and the minerals used in our devices. He reveals the human suffering and environmental devastation caused by the mining of coltan, a mineral essential for modern technology. Despite the grim reality, Bast emphasizes the paradox that the same technology also empowers people, as seen during the Congo's elections. He calls for awareness and action towards 'fair-trade' phones, urging the TED community and global audience to demand ethical sourcing and production.

Takeaways

• 📱 The speaker's phone is symbolic of interconnectedness but also has a dark side.
• 💎 The mineral tantalum, mined as coltan in the Congo, is essential for technology but has devastating human costs.
• 🌍 The Democratic Republic of the Congo has suffered greatly due to the mineral's extraction, with over five million deaths since 1996.
• 🔫 The quest for coltan has fueled ongoing conflict, including the use of rape as a weapon and child soldiers.
• 🏆 Despite the country's wealth in resources, estimated at over 24 trillion dollars, the people suffer from poor health and poverty.
• 🛑 The mining industry has collapsed, leading to armed groups controlling coltan mines.
• 🚫 Illicit trade routes, such as to Rwanda, disguise the origin of Congolese tantalum.
• 🌐 The same technology that demands coltan also exposes the human rights abuses in the Congo.
• 📊 The speaker calls for the TED community and global consumers to question the origins of their technology.
• 🌱 There is a growing movement for ethical sourcing, including legislation and corporate policies aimed at conflict-free minerals.
• 📱 The speaker advocates for 'fair-trade phones', emphasizing the need for ethical consumer choices in technology.

Q & A

Why did the speaker come to the UK 21 years ago?

The speaker came to the UK 21 years ago as an asylum-seeker, having been forced to leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to his involvement as a student activist.

What is the significance of the mobile phone in the speaker's narrative?

The mobile phone is significant as it symbolizes both the technological advancements that have benefited from minerals like tantalum, mined in the Congo, and the human suffering that has resulted from the conflict surrounding these resources.

What is coltan and why is it important for mobile phones?

Coltan, short for columbite-tantalite, is a mineral from which the element tantalum is extracted. It is crucial for mobile phones because it is an anticorrosive heat conductor that stores energy, used in capacitors and other electronic components.

How has the quest for coltan contributed to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

The quest for coltan has fueled the ongoing war in the Congo by providing a valuable resource that armed groups can control and exploit, leading to violence, human rights abuses, and the use of rape as a weapon of war.

What is the irony mentioned by the speaker regarding technology and the situation in the Congo?

The irony is that the same technology, specifically mobile phones, which has placed unsustainable demands on the Congo by driving the need for coltan, has also been instrumental in bringing the situation to global attention and enabling communication that can lead to political change.

What role did mobile phones play in the recent elections in the Congo?

Mobile phones allowed voters to send text messages about local polling stations to the headquarters in Kinshasa, which helped in monitoring the election process and drawing attention to any undemocratic practices.

What is the paradox the speaker refers to regarding mobile phones?

The paradox is that mobile phones are both instruments of freedom, enabling communication and political change, and instruments of oppression, contributing to human suffering through the demand for conflict minerals like coltan.

What actions has the speaker suggested to address the issue of conflict minerals in mobile phones?

The speaker suggests continuing to mount pressure on phone companies to change their sourcing processes, supporting legislation targeting bribery and misconduct in the Congo, and advocating for fair-trade phones.

What recent legislative and corporate actions are mentioned in the script to combat the use of conflict minerals?

The US has passed legislation targeting bribery and misconduct in the Congo, the UK has legislation that could be used similarly, and Nokia has unveiled a new policy on sourcing minerals from the Congo.

What is the speaker's personal connection to the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

The speaker is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and left as a young activist. He wishes for his children to meet his family there but also wants to raise awareness about the issues caused by the mining of coltan.

Why does the speaker advocate for 'fair-trade phones'?

The speaker advocates for 'fair-trade phones' to ensure that the production of mobile phones does not contribute to human suffering and conflict in regions like the Congo, by promoting ethical sourcing of minerals.