Letter of Support for Conflict Free Initiative

Below is my letter of support for Weber State University's conflict-free initiative.  Learn more at their blog at: http://wsucongo.blogspot.com

To the Administrators and Board Members of Weber State University

My name is Zachary Stickney.  I am a senior political science major and presidential scholar at Weber State University and have long been an active and engaged member of the campus community.  I have served as President of Weber State STAND,   President and Student Area Coordinator of Utah for Amnesty International, and have been active in varying capacities in Weber State’s Young Democrats chapter, Pi Sigma Alpha, the Richard Richard’s institute for politics, decency, and ethical conduct, and have participated in Model United Nations of the Far West, an organization for which I am currently serving a one-year Board of Directors position.

As a student of international law and human rights activist, I am deeply troubled by the ongoing atrocities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  Worse still, I am troubled by the possibility that, as consumers of electronic devices, we may be inadvertently involved.   Weber State University and its supporters are not to blame for the crisis in the Congo.  However, I do believe that, as major consumers of electronic devices, we have a major opportunity and responsibility to use our leverage to help ensure our products are conflict free.  

As you may be aware, this conflict-free initiative has already had a number of successes nationwide.  Highly respected universities, including Stanford University and Cornell University, have already passed resolutions similar to the one we are proposing for Weber State University.  In addition, the Enough Project and other human rights organizations have proposed legislation in the United States congress calling for increased regulation and transparency in the trade of conflict minerals.  This is truly a nation-wide and historic movement.

Increased transparency in the trade of these minerals will not solve the many problems the DRC faces alone, but it will help ensure that the rebel groups facilitating the conflict will become increasingly financially isolated and unable to fund their activities.  It will also help relieve the burden of the international peacekeeping presence currently stationed in the DRC.  With our help, lives can be saved, violence can be prevented, and order and hope can begin to be restored to the hopeless.

I strongly encourage you to vote in favor of a resolution calling for increased transparency from Weber State University’s electronics suppliers.  In addition, I would like to request a symbolic resolution calling for solidarity with the people of the Congo and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Kind regards,

Zachary J. Stickney
Student
Weber State University

WSU Conflict Free Initiative Petition

To:  Administration and Board Members of Weber State University
 
We, the undersigned, representing students, alumni, and faculty of Weber State University, as well as concerned citizens of the Weber State community, would like to express our deep concern for the ongoing crisis in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The DRC is home to one of the world's longest lasting and most deadly conflicts. Nearly 6 million people have been killed from the consequences of violence, making this conflict the deadliest since World War II.

Though this conflict may seem unrelated to the students, alumni, faculty, or community members of Weber State, in truth there is at least one deep and terrible connection. The DRC, particularly the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, is a major world supplier of tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold. These minerals are extremely valuable and are used in the production of many electronic devices, including cell phones, computers, MP3 players, video game consoles, and so on.

Unfortunately, one of the side effects of the ongoing crisis in the DRC has been the takeover of Congolese mines by violent rebel groups. These groups capture these highly profitable mines, enslave the local population to excavate them, and use the money to further fund this vicious cycle. In addition to physical slavery in the mines, there have also been hundreds of thousands of cases of sexual slavery and rape throughout the region, leading human rights organizations such as the Enough Project and Human Rights Watch to label the DRC as the "worst place in the world to be a woman." These rebel groups use rape as a weapon of war to defeat their enemies by tearing at the social fabric of their communities.

Weber State University, its students, alumni, faculty, and members of the local community are not responsible for these atrocities. However, as major buyers of electronic equipment, we have considerable leverage to help end the crisis and ensure that our products are created from minerals gathered from legitimate sources. We, the undersigned, would specifically encourage Weber State University to:

• Use its leverage as a consumer of electronics equipment to pressure electronics companies into tracking their supplies and ensuring that the minerals used in their products are purchased from ethical sources;
• Pass a symbolic resolution in solidarity with the people of the Congo and encourage other universities or institutions of learning to do the same;
• Encourage students, alumni, faculty, and the greater Weber State community to learn more about the conflict in the DRC and be active in seeking a peaceful resolution.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned


Click Here to sign the petition online!

Walking Like an Egyptian: Why Obama Should Remain Firm on Mubarak’s Departure

The Obama administration has been taking a lot of criticism lately due to its recent call for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down “now.”  The chief concern of these critics is that, should Mubarak be removed from power, a vacuum will emerge in which radical elements — notably the Muslim Brotherhood — might take control of Egypt, replacing a long-time friend with a regime that might be at odds with the United States and Israel.  Because of this, these critics instead advocate for Mubarak to remain at the helm of Egypt’s “republic” until this fall.  These suggestions endorse a short-sighted and ill-advised policy that will halt the incredible momentum of Egypt’s opposition and damage American interests in the Middle East.

Though Mubarak has indeed been a long-time ally of the US, our relationship has been anything but ideal. Mubarak’s presidency, now in its thirtieth year, began in 1981 after the assassination of Anwar Sadat.  Indeed, the romance between the United States and Mubarak began with Sadat’s decision, in 1979, to make peace with Israel following the Camp David Accords.  This was a huge victory for both the United States and Israel, and Egypt was awarded in kind: regaining control of the Sinai peninsula from the Israelis and receiving billions of dollars in economic and military aid from the United States.  To this day, Egypt receives more foreign aid from the United States than any other country except Israel. 

Though peace between Egypt and Israel certainly served the interests of the United States, even then, US officials made it clear that Egypt would have to change.  Sadat, and later Mubarak, retained what was essentially a dictatorial regime.  In response to this, much of the aid sent to in Egypt was geared towards programs that would decrease government control, including privatization of businesses, expanded funding and openness in basic and higher education, and decentralization of authority through the expansion of local structures, both governmental and non-governmental.  Yet, after 30 years and some $50 billion in cumulative aid, Egypt under Mubarak has made little progress in any of these areas.  These figures make it painfully clear that, as New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has written, “Mr. Mubarak is not the remedy for the instability in Egypt; he is the cause.” 

But what of the alternatives?  As mentioned, many in the United States and elsewhere fear the possibility of an Egypt run by radical Islamists.  They cite the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist opposition movement found in many Arab nations and currently banned in Egypt, as the most likely group to take power should Mubarak step down.  The Brotherhood itself is a fairly contentious topic within policy circles; some claim it is extremely radical, others describe it as fairly moderate.  These disparate characterizations of the Brotherhood show that it is anything but a monolith.  The Muslim Brotherhood is frayed by clashing personalities and varying interpretations of Islamic governance.  The Muslim Brotherhood will certainly play a role in a transitional Egypt, but that role will be a muted one, rather than one of uncontested power and Egyptian obeisance.

As for the final concern, that Egypt does not yet have the institutions or structure necessary to begin a democracy immediately, I concur.  President Mubarak and his rigid bureaucracy have failed to develop a meaningful civil society in Egypt.  This is precisely why he must step down.  Egypt will need to install a temporary transitional government to prepare for free and fair elections, but Mubarak is not the person to lead Egypt through this stage.  He has failed his people for 30 years, and they no longer fear him.  Mass demonstrations will continue until Mubarak steps down and a transitional strategy is clearly defined to the Egyptian people.

The Obama administration should step away from the Mubarak-centered policy of the past and instead adopt one that keeps the interests of the Egyptian people at heart.  Obama must remain firm in his call for Mubarak to step aside and be ready to offer a hand of friendship to the fledgling democracy that will emerge.  The loss of a 30-year ally in Mubarak will initially be difficult for the United States to accept, but his downfall is inevitable.  In the long run a democratic Egypt will serve the best interests of the American, and Egyptian, people.