I just listened to a great report on 60 Minutes about how gold miners and smugglers are financing the continuing war in the DRC.
How Gold Pays For Congo's Deadly War
The price of gold set another all-time record this past week. There's demand for gold for investments, for circuits in cell phones and computers, and, in this holiday season, for jewelry. But there's another price being paid for gold that you probably haven't heard about.
Gold and other minerals are funding the deadliest war since World War II. More than five million people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Years ago, the jewelry industry banned the trafficking in so-called blood diamonds, but the same hasn't happened with gold.
In the heart of central Africa, "60 Minutes" found a campaign of rape and murder being funded largely by gold that is exported to the world.
Here is an excerpt on Uganda's role:
Uganda is right next door to Congo, but it has almost no gold production of its own. In fact, in 2007, Uganda produced about $500 worth. But in the same year, it exported $75 million in gold. Almost all of that is coming from the war zone.
We took a hidden camera into a trader called "Jit." We offered gold for sale and we were clear it came from Congo.
He bought our gold.
Using a hidden camera is something only a member of the foreign press would risk here.
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