6/21/2012

GreenRight's replies to Traxys' answer about illegal lead ore traffic


ENG version

The UN recently accused Traxys and other companies of being involved in Congo's war of 1998.
Traxys is an international company whose core business is raw ore refining.
The trial conducted by the UN showed that Traxys bought coltan and other ores knowing perfectly well that they came from Congo.
The raw ores and rare earths originating from Congo are extracted, handled and sold by local warlords  and then usually sold to big international firms for refining and use in commercial products.
The trial took place in early 2000. The British government created an association called RAID in order to properly asses the country of origin of rare earths.
The UN never sanctioned Traxys and other firms involved.  Mrs Feeney, who was an important member of RAID said that, nevertheless, the UN trial had legal ground.
She said that the UN was pressured by the US Govt. and other coutries to stop the trial.
We know that in 2012 a new war is brewing up in KIVU in the East Congo, and KIVU is located in an area with several ore deposits and mines.
OperationGreenRights found an email in Traxys' site database.
It was sent from the "salvakalumba" email address.
The mail clearly show that "salvakalumba" is offering 30000 Mt of lead ore from DRC to Traxys.
The mail also shows clearly that "salvakalumba" is offering to move the lead ore to Cingola in Zambia with the intent of disguising the country of origin to circumvent the European laws that regulate the commerce of rare earths.
This is not the first time that Traxys has conducted business with shady/paramilitary goups.

Traxys's reply to GreenRight's accusations:
They say that from 2009 Traxys terminated all of its activities in that part of the Congo, and since then has conducted no business activities in that territory.
Now in 2012, all the firms which sell ores to Traxys know that it doesn't buy minerals from East-Congo; it's very unlikely that someone today would offer minerals from Eastern Congo to Traxys because dealers knows that since 2009 Traxys has rejected those kind of offers. So it's likely that "salvakalumba" sent this mail by mistake. This fact is a demonstration that Traxis probably knows who "salvakalumba" is.
All these facts show that "salvakalumba"'s mail is a clue to Traxys.
Ovbiously Traxys also replied that they didn't know who "salvakalumba" was and that they never entered in a business relation with him.
They also say that the anonymous enquiry was unsolicited.
#OperationGreenRights knows that its action against Traxys were unsolicited, but we know that Traxys has never paid for their crimes in 1998's Congo war, and now in 2012 this email from "salvakalumba" is a hint to Traxys's illegal trade.
We also remember that in the DRC ores are digged in unfair conditions and many wild animals were killed in order to dig minerals.
We ask for a new trial by the UN in order to invesitgate Traxys's activities and other major companies in the DRC and in other war areas.
Naturally, the bad working conditions of miners and the respect for the ecosystem should be investigated.
At the moment, #Operationgreenrights continues in its effort to sort out the truth about the illegal ore trade.

Traxys, it's time to pay for your misdeeds!

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