London, England, May 14, 2009 / 17:28 pm
A priest from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has called on the Congolese government to stop the illegal exploitation of the country’s mineral resources which are being used to help fuel instability and fund militant groups in the region.
Fr. Justin Nkunzi, justice and peace commission director of the Archdiocese of Bukavu, said that the illegal trade in minerals, including gold, has lead to increased fears about the rise of rebel attacks.
Speaking to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) during a visit to the UK, he called on industry leaders to improve the transparency of supply chains to allow buyers to trace the source of their gold.
"If you buy diamonds and gold from rebel held areas. It helps the rebels – they can buy weapons and guns and continue the war," he told ACN.