In the Democratic Republic of Congo, armed militia groups have been committing mass atrocities in order to gain control of the country’s thriving mineral trade. Products from these mines — tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold — are found in almost all electronics products and, as of now, there is no process to track the origin of these minerals. The Clark University Conflict-Free Campus Initiative, pioneered by Clark’s STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) chapter, is a campaign to create financial incentive for electronics companies to develop mechanisms to ensure that their minerals are not involved in this conflict. By signing the proposed resolution, Clark administrators would pledge to prioritize conflict-free products once they become available. Creating a market for the development of products that do not support militia groups is a crucial step in alleviating the commitment of atrocities in the Congo.

Since the initiation of the campaign, we have gained a widespread base of support including over 700 undergraduate and graduate students, 21 professors, and 10 student groups including Student Council and Graduate Student Council. Word has been spread primarily through classroom presentations in relevant departments and through a documentary screening event hosted in the fall, and has been met with much enthusiasm. The administration has shown interest in the initiative, and after receiving support from the Clark community, we are ready to present the resolution to President Angel. We hope to meet with him before the end of the semester or early in the Spring.

We believe that passing this resolution will show electronics companies that there is a market for conflict-free products, while providing Clark with an opportunity to join the the forefront of a national movement, and to publicly act upon its values of social and personal responsibility.