Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 8 June 2017
Nigeria adrift as Violence warned over US dropping conflict minerals rule

leader in London By JUSTIN LYNCH signed a letter with five In April, acting SEC chair- In addition to the SEC ac-
for treatment Associated Press other Democratic senators man Michael Piwowar said tion, Republican legislation
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — In- urging the SEC to uphold his organization will no lon- to roll back the Dodd-Frank
By KRISTA MAHR creased violence and cor- the rule. ger enforce the 2012 rule law, expected to pass the
Associated Press ruption in central Africa The conflict minerals report- that requires companies House in coming weeks,
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Ni- would repeal the conflict
geria, West Africa’s eco- minerals rule. The bill’s pros-
pects in the Senate are un-
nomic and military power-
house, is adrift as President clear.
Armed rebels and criminal
Muhammadu Buhari has
been in London for medi- gangs have been funded
for decades by the illicit
cal treatment for a month
as of Wednesday, worrying trade in Congo’s minerals,
estimated to be worth $24
many that his undisclosed
health problems have left trillion, according to the
U.N. The minerals are es-
Africa’s most populous
country without strong di- sential ingredients in smart
phones, laptops, tablets
rection. The president’s
prolonged absence has and other high-tech prod-
ucts.
created “a vacuum,” said
Dapo Alaba Sobowale, Dropping the conflict min-
erals rule implicitly supports
the head of a small IT com-
pany in Lagos’ sprawling conflict in the Great Lakes
Computer Village, where region, Leonard Birere,
small shops and vendors president of the Coalition
line the streets selling mo- of Anti-Slavery Civil Soci-
bile phones and computer ety Organizations in Goma,
gadgets. Congo, told The Associat-
“A lot of people are relying A Congolese miner digs for cassiterite, the major ore of tin, at Nyabibwe mine, in eastern Demo- ed Press in an email.
on him,” Sobowale said. cratic Republic of Congo. Increased violence and corruption in central Africa could be the result “The activity of the armed
He said he isn’t bothered of the recent decision by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission not to enforce a rule re- groups in the mining sites
about who, exactly, is sit- quiring American companies to report their use of conflict minerals, warn Congolese civic groups, had decreased substan-
ting in office. Buhari, 74, rights groups and U.S. senators. In April 2017 the SEC said it will no longer enforce the 2012 rule that tially as well as their capac-
went on medical leave requires companies to verify that products using valuable African minerals don’t benefit armed ity for violence” due to the
to the United Kingdom groups. conflict minerals regulation,
on May 7 for unspecified (AP Photo/Marc Hofer) Birere said.
health problems. He had Some leading American
already been in London could be the result of the ing rule, part of the Dodd- to verify their products companies also support
for nearly seven weeks ear- recent decision by the U.S. Frank financial regulations do not use tantalum, tin, the conflict minerals regula-
lier this year for treatment. Securities and Exchange law, has largely been suc- gold or tungsten that have tions. “Apple believes there
He looked thin and frail Commission not to enforce cessful in ensuring that min- been mined or trafficked is little doubt that there is
when he returned to Nige- a rule requiring Ameri- erals worth trillions of dollars by armed groups in Congo a need to enhance gold
ria, where he later missed can companies to report don’t benefit armed rebel and other central African trading due diligence,” the
three consecutive weekly their use of conflict miner- groups blamed for human countries. Although the SEC company wrote in its 2016
Cabinet meetings. On his als, warn Congolese civic rights abuses, a coalition is independent from the conflict minerals report to
return, he said he’d never groups, rights groups and of groups from Congo and Trump administration, Pi- the SEC.
been as sick in his life. U.S. senators. southern Africa told the wowar was designated as The SEC’s action risks rolling
Government officials and “The conflict minerals rule SEC in a series of public acting chairman by Trump, back efforts to “combat
Buhari’s family have sought has played a critical role in comments earlier this year. and the SEC’s action ap- human rights abuses and
to reassure Nigerians who reducing violence in min- In an opposing view, some pears to be in line with the potential cases of conflict
have expressed their worry ing areas in the Democrat- business groups in the U.S. president’s view that the financing,” Carly Oboth,
about his absence on so- ic Republic of the Congo,” dismissed the regulation as government should reduce a policy adviser at rights
cial media under hashtags said U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, ineffective and an unnec- regulations of company group Global Witness, told
like #WhereIsBuhari and D-Delaware, who recently essary burden. operations. the AP.q
#MissingPresident.
On Tuesday, Aisha Buhari,
the president’s wife, said At least 8 dead as storm hammers Cape Town coastline
her husband is “recuperat-
ing fast” after she returned By CHRIS TORCHIA homes. An evacuated hos- Eleanore Bouw-Spies, de- neighborhoods of make-
to Nigeria from visiting him Associated Press pital was among buildings scribed the fires as the worst shift homes. However, hun-
in London. “He thanks Ni- JOHANNESBURG (AP) — that caught fire and the in decades. dreds of homes were flood-
gerians for their constant A storm pummeled the main highway was closed In Cape Town and sur- ed or damaged, authorities
prayers for his health & coastline around the South in the area, South African rounding areas, storm vic- said. The storm forced Presi-
steadfastness in the face of African city of Cape Town media reported. tims included four people dent Jacob Zuma, who was
challenges,” she tweeted. on Wednesday, unleash- Clinton Manuel, Knysna’s who died in a fire caused in Cape Town, to cancel a
Buhari’s long absences this ing heavy rains as well as fire chief, said his teams by lightning, three who speech to an international
year have raised questions high winds that fanned fires were struggling to contain died in another fire and media conference in Dur-
over whether the former and forced evacuations numerous fires. one who was killed when ban, a city on the Indian
military leader from north- of some residents. At least “This wind is blowing very, a home collapsed, disaster Ocean coastline, his office
ern Nigeria will be able eight people were killed. very strong, causing the fire management officials said. said. He was due to ad-
to complete his four-year Many people in Knysna, a to spread extremely rap- Cape Town workers said dress an annual congress
term that is up in 2019 and town on the scenic Garden idly,” Manuel said, accord- they had taken measures organized by the World As-
kicked off speculation over Route east of Cape Town, ing to the African News to protect some poor resi- sociation of Newspapers
who might succeed him.q fled as blazes tore through Agency. The town mayor, dents, who live in sprawling and News Publishers.q