DRC article in The Guardian

I came across an article about the DRC today in The Guardian. Very interesting article by the way, written by a woman battling cancer, and her determination to heal herself mentally and physcially at least partly by advocating for people living in the DRC. Anyway, I came across a comment that i just had to respond to, stating that there is no corporate complicity in the atrocities committed there. I've pasted below my response.

I'm glad I stumbled across this thread. As a volunteer with Amnesty International's Business & Human Rights Campaign, I can assure you that there is a ton of evidence of corporate complicity in human rights in the atrocities in the DRC over the last several years. Here are just a few reports I found after searching for an hour.

http://www.cpt.org/work/africa_great_lakes/corporate_complicity
http://www.globalwitness.org/media_library_detail.php/937/en/dr_congo_ex_rebels_take_over_mineral_trade_extortion_racket
http://www.globalwitness.org/media_library_detail.php/928/en/metals_in_mobile_phones_financing_brutal_war_in_congo%20
http://www.international-alert.org/pdf/Natural_Resources_Jan_10.pdf
http://allafrica.com/download/resource/main/main/idatcs/00011978:17c4c25efdfdc56890bdb2c7b581aefb.pdf
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/11/25/briefing-un-security-council-situation-democratic-republic-congo

Western governments are complicit as well, because they have the ability to legislate mandatory standards that would hold to account companies from their country, but they by and large have been hesitant to do so.

Introducing CSR Tube

You've heard of You Tube. Well, here's CSR Tube. From their 'About' page:

CSRtube is the first global media platform dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) issues. CSRtube is an initiative of the Dutch MVO Platform (CSR Platform) and lokaalmondiaal. To inspire and discuss.

The aim of CSRtube is to increase the impact of the work of civil society organizations, research institutions, governments, and companies dealing with CSR issues. CSRtube intends to contribute to the debate around CSR, and to inform people about its developments. Citizens and civil society organizations from all over the world are invited to upload and share their video material on CSRtube. Get inspired by initiatives that promote CSR. Learn to make videos and be able to contribute with your CSR initiatives. Tell your story to a wider audience, share it, and contribute to changing the world. See it, film it, share it.

assorted links related to Bill C-300

Here are a few links I've gathered over the last couple of weeks.

Canadian Lawyer's Magazine supports Bill C-300

Toronto Star on the Canadian government's weak CSR plan, which critics refer to as 'insufficient.'

Vancouver Sun covers the debate on Bill C-300.

Embassy: Tanzanian foreign minister wants Bill C-300 adopted.

Peace, Earth, Justice News examines Bill C-300 and how it relates to what's going on in the ground in other countries.

Similarly, Toward Freedom describes our 'Long Road to Mining Reform.'