UN Dispatch

Thanks to the work of activist groups like the Enough Project and the Genocide Intervention Network, the term "conflict minerals" has begun to seep into the vernacular of those of us who follow foreign affairs.  Simply put, conflict minerals are the few minerals that are at the heart of the war in Eastern Congo.  These minerals --  which include Tin ore (cassiterite), tantalite (coltan), tungsten as well as gold— are used in electronic devices such as cell phones, laptops and MP3 players.  Profits from the export of these minerals have fueled the deadliest conflict since World War II. 

Well, today, U.S. Representative Jim McDermott pledged to do something about it.  He will introduce the Minerals Trade Act of 2009, which as Laura Heaton explains, "would help set up a system for auditing mineral ores or their derivatives, ultimately requiring that companies importing products containing these essential minerals declare whether their goods are 'conflict free.'"

Continue reading here.

Sudan activists John Prendergast of the Enough Project, Randy Newcomb of Humanity United, Sam Bell of the Genocide Intervention Network and Jerry Fowler of Save Darfur just held a conference call for reporters in which they offered their reactions to the Sudan policy review. 

The group was pleased that the policy review was finally completed after such a long delay.   The activists agreed that, on paper, it says the right things.   The big question now is whether or not it will actually be implemented.  

Continue reading here.

 Huffington Post relays video of a protest outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C. which resulted in the arrest of five members of congress, including civil rights legend John Lewis. 

Watch the video here.