Question: What's the connection between kids killing aliens on a PlayStation and real children being killed in mines in Congo?
Answer: Coltan, and the aptly named PlayStation War.
Coltan is a rare metal found in many of our high-tech gadgets like PlayStations. 80% of the world's coltan
comes from Congo, where people have been fighting a bloody 10-year war
for control over this precious metal. This has led to the exploitation
of prisoners of war, mostly youth and young children, who have been
forced to work in the Congo mines. Coltan is also extensively used in laptops and mobile phones.
Should we blame high-tech companies like Sony for being
irresponsible? Perhaps the governments in Africa? Or do we all share
the responsibility?
Stephen Covey says that we are all interdependent. And any wise
person from any faith will tell you that all of life is
interconnected. Just as a single butterfly can flap its wings in China
and affect the wind in Peru, our actions, no matter how small, can have
an effect beyond what we directly see or feel.
As one observer said, 'Kids in Congo were being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America can kill aliens in their living room' How does that make you feel?
This week, we can choose to look away or choose to care. If you
choose to care, think about how your actions might be making life more
difficult for others - at home with your family or household help, or
even as a consumer and as a citizen. Once you see the big picture, you
can see the effect of your actions. You know you can make a
difference. You may be just one person, but all it takes is one.
