Comments on: Controlling enablers in the conflict mineral trade http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/2010/05/24/controlling-enablers-in-the-conflict-mineral-trade/ Human Rights First builds respect for human rights and the rule of law to help ensure the dignity to which everyone is entitled and to stem intolerance, tyranny, and violence. Wed, 15 May 2013 16:48:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: FlexiCadastre http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/2010/05/24/controlling-enablers-in-the-conflict-mineral-trade/#comment-151 FlexiCadastre Wed, 26 May 2010 08:04:23 +0000 http://69.164.209.119/?p=1305#comment-151 >Mr. Carisch I need to commend you on an insightful and frank article. Your point about the rebuilding of Congolese institutions hits the nail on the head and needs to be highlighted. You mention the advanced mining cadastre system (MCS), used to manage mineral title, which is operational in the DRC. The MCS is run by the Cadastre Minier who is currently broke due to various factors. This from an African Intelligence news article “Congo-K’s Cadastre Minier (CAMI) has fallen on hard times. The organization run by Jean-Felix Mupande owes three to four months of back wages to its personnel and its operating expenses have been cut to a minimum. As a result, CAMI can’t effectively do its job of overseeing mining rights and serving as a one-stop service for mining companies. In 2009, the Cadastre earned only USD 3.5 million as opposed to the USD 20 million it expected. Since 2005, and following the recommendations of the IMF, payments for rights go to the Direction Generale de l’Administration Generale des Recettes Administratives, Judicaires, Domaniales et de Participation (DGRD). But that body fails to hand along payments to CAMI on a regular basis. In addition, DGRAD has had trouble in getting paid because it doesn’t have the coordinates of all mining companies operating in the country.”<br /><br />The MCS provides much needed transparency and security of tenure that investors demand. The current situation is tenuous and will threaten the mining industries stability which in turn will only have a negative impact on controlling conflict minerals.<br /><br />On another point. The MCS should be used to police the conflict mineral trade. The system currently records company details, the relevant minerals i.e. gold, tin, coltan, etc explored and could be used to monitor licenses falling in ‘war-torn’ areas. The system will be able to create a report of all companies exploring for conflict minerals in specifically spatially defines areas. <br /><br />A website should also be designed to allow public access to tenement data therefore allowing for greater transparency. The DRC should finally work on being included in the EITI process. <br /><br />Charles Young >Mr. Carisch I need to commend you on an insightful and frank article. Your point about the rebuilding of Congolese institutions hits the nail on the head and needs to be highlighted. You mention the advanced mining cadastre system (MCS), used to manage mineral title, which is operational in the DRC. The MCS is run by the Cadastre Minier who is currently broke due to various factors. This from an African Intelligence news article “Congo-K’s Cadastre Minier (CAMI) has fallen on hard times. The organization run by Jean-Felix Mupande owes three to four months of back wages to its personnel and its operating expenses have been cut to a minimum. As a result, CAMI can’t effectively do its job of overseeing mining rights and serving as a one-stop service for mining companies. In 2009, the Cadastre earned only USD 3.5 million as opposed to the USD 20 million it expected. Since 2005, and following the recommendations of the IMF, payments for rights go to the Direction Generale de l’Administration Generale des Recettes Administratives, Judicaires, Domaniales et de Participation (DGRD). But that body fails to hand along payments to CAMI on a regular basis. In addition, DGRAD has had trouble in getting paid because it doesn’t have the coordinates of all mining companies operating in the country.”

The MCS provides much needed transparency and security of tenure that investors demand. The current situation is tenuous and will threaten the mining industries stability which in turn will only have a negative impact on controlling conflict minerals.

On another point. The MCS should be used to police the conflict mineral trade. The system currently records company details, the relevant minerals i.e. gold, tin, coltan, etc explored and could be used to monitor licenses falling in ‘war-torn’ areas. The system will be able to create a report of all companies exploring for conflict minerals in specifically spatially defines areas.

A website should also be designed to allow public access to tenement data therefore allowing for greater transparency. The DRC should finally work on being included in the EITI process.

Charles Young

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