Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KINSHASA83
2009-01-27 07:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kinshasa
Cable title:
DRC RESPONSE TO TVPRA DRAFT LIST OF GOODS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHKI #0083 0270738 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 270738Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9098 RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2247 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS KINSHASA 000083
SIPDIS
PASS TO DOL/ILAB (RRIGBY)
DEPT FOR DRL/ILCSR (MMITTELHAUSER)
DEPT FOR G/TIP (SSTEINER)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI KTIP CG
SUBJECT: DRC RESPONSE TO TVPRA DRAFT LIST OF GOODS
REF: (A) SECSTATE 3075
(B) KINSHASA 51
(C) 08 KINSHASA 629
UNCLAS KINSHASA 000083
SIPDIS
PASS TO DOL/ILAB (RRIGBY)
DEPT FOR DRL/ILCSR (MMITTELHAUSER)
DEPT FOR G/TIP (SSTEINER)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI KTIP CG
SUBJECT: DRC RESPONSE TO TVPRA DRAFT LIST OF GOODS
REF: (A) SECSTATE 3075
(B) KINSHASA 51
(C) 08 KINSHASA 629
1. (U) In response to the TVPRA action request (Ref A),Post does
not have any new information that clearly demonstrates child labor
is no longer used in the production of copper, cobalt, coltan, gold,
and diamonds. As per Ref B, children under the age of eighteen
continue to work as artisanal miners in the southern, central, and
eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In addition to the
goods cited in the DOL's draft list of goods, children are sometimes
used in the mining of wolframite (tungsten ore) and cassiterite (tin
ore) in the eastern provinces (Ref C).
2. (U) Though GDRC efforts to support its new National Committee to
Combat the Worst Forms of Child Labor (NCCL) have increased over the
last year, the government lacks the resources and capacity necessary
to enforce child labor laws. Many mining companies, including
U.S.-based Freeport McMoRan, operate in the DRC with strict
protections against child labor and several NGOs are working to
address the socio-economic causes of the problem. The vast majority
of goods produced using child labor in the DRC exit the country via
the informal market, however, and is therefore difficult to track or
prevent.
GARVELINK
SIPDIS
PASS TO DOL/ILAB (RRIGBY)
DEPT FOR DRL/ILCSR (MMITTELHAUSER)
DEPT FOR G/TIP (SSTEINER)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI KTIP CG
SUBJECT: DRC RESPONSE TO TVPRA DRAFT LIST OF GOODS
REF: (A) SECSTATE 3075
(B) KINSHASA 51
(C) 08 KINSHASA 629
1. (U) In response to the TVPRA action request (Ref A),Post does
not have any new information that clearly demonstrates child labor
is no longer used in the production of copper, cobalt, coltan, gold,
and diamonds. As per Ref B, children under the age of eighteen
continue to work as artisanal miners in the southern, central, and
eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In addition to the
goods cited in the DOL's draft list of goods, children are sometimes
used in the mining of wolframite (tungsten ore) and cassiterite (tin
ore) in the eastern provinces (Ref C).
2. (U) Though GDRC efforts to support its new National Committee to
Combat the Worst Forms of Child Labor (NCCL) have increased over the
last year, the government lacks the resources and capacity necessary
to enforce child labor laws. Many mining companies, including
U.S.-based Freeport McMoRan, operate in the DRC with strict
protections against child labor and several NGOs are working to
address the socio-economic causes of the problem. The vast majority
of goods produced using child labor in the DRC exit the country via
the informal market, however, and is therefore difficult to track or
prevent.
GARVELINK