IRAdvocates has filed a federal class action lawsuit today on behalf of 14 Doe Plaintiffs who are either guardians of children killed in tunnel or wall collapses while mining cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”) or children who were maimed in such accidents. The DRC has the world’s largest deposits of cobalt, an essential element of rechargeable lithium-ion battery in products made by all tech and electric car companies.
The lawsuit names Apple, Alphabet (Google), Dell, Microsoft, and Tesla as defendants. Plaintiffs have evidence that these companies in particular aided and abetted the mines that abused and profited from forcing plaintiffs and other children to mine cobalt under conditions that led to their deaths or serious, crippling injuries.
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“The young children mining Defendants’ cobalt are not merely being forced to work full-time, extremely dangerous mining jobs at the expense [of] their educations and futures,” says the suit, “they are being regularly maimed and killed by tunnel collapses and other known hazards common to cobalt mining in the DRC.”
“Cobalt is a key component of every rechargeable lithium-ion battery in all of the gadgets made by Defendants and all other tech and electric car companies in the world,” it continues, “that has brought on the latest wave of cruel exploitation fueled by greed, corruption and indifference to a population of powerless, starving Congolese people.”
The suit seeks a trial by jury and ultimately damages and costs to the miners. It also wants the companies to fund “appropriate medical care” for the plaintives, “and clean up the environmental impacts.” The suit seeks a trial by jury and ultimately damages and costs to the miners. It also wants the companies to fund “appropriate medical care” for the plaintives, and clean up the environmental impacts.”
Dr. Liwanga, a DRC national, commented: “this is the beginning of the end of impunity for those who have been economically benefiting from child labor in the DRC’s mining industry. DRC children also have an inherent and inalienable right to be protected from economic exploitation.” None of the companies have made any public statements regarding the suit.
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