Another day, another lawsuit. A U.S.-based advocacy group has filed a lawsuit in Washington accusing Apple of using minerals linked to conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda despite the tech giant’s denials, reports Reuters.
The International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) has previously sued Tesla, Apple and other tech firms over cobalt sourcing, but U.S. courts dismissed that case last year. French prosecutors also dropped Congo’s case against Apple subsidiaries in December over conflict minerals, citing lack of evidence. A related criminal complaint in Belgium is still under investigation.
Apple denied any wrongdoing in response to Congo’s lawsuits, saying it had instructed its suppliers to halt the sourcing of material from Congo and neighboring Rwanda, notes Reuters.
Apple claims it’s working to reduce the use of conflict materials. In a December 2020 report, the tech giant had this to say: Although ‘blood diamonds’ is a phrase most people recognize, fewer people are aware of the term “conflict minerals.” These usually come from areas of the world where there is some form of conflict and are obtained through the exploitative use of workers, with human trafficking and slavery often involved and the proceeds helping to prolong and fund the conflict.
The main three conflict minerals are tin, tungsten, and tantalum (the 3 Ts), but gold can also be included. A common source of these minerals is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), an area with ongoing violence and human rights violations.
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Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today