Sunday, November 22, 2009

Forget About Blood Diamonds. It Is Blood Gold That Is Financing Rebel Groups In The Congo

The Gold Trade in East Congo
Click Image To Enlarge
Image from P. Scott Cummins

Congo Gold 'Still Funding' Rebels -- The BBC News

Sanction busters are smuggling 40 tonnes of gold annually out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a United Nations official has told the BBC.

Dino Mahtani said most of the gold was controlled by rebel groups who use the proceeds to buy arms.

Mr Mahtani, who is due to report to a meeting of the UN Security Council this week, said: "This money helps sustain them [the armed groups] in the field."

Most gold is shipped to Dubai via a neighbouring state, he added.

Read more ....

Previous Post from the BBC: FDLR Inc: Congo’s multinational rebels

Previous Post (2005) from P. Scott Cummins: How Instability Benefits Museveni -- P. Scott Cummings

My Comment: This trade cannot be controlled. Gold is gold, and with the financial and economic crisis continuing, the value and importance of gold will only increase with time.

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