Adji Ngathe kebe
The Congo is such a rich and beautiful country. It’s an African country rich in resources, so naturally it’s poor. Its wealth has been looted by Europe, specifically Belgium. in 1880’s King Leopold II of Belgium came to “own” Congo. He tried to force the Belgium Monarchy to colonize Congo, but they weren’t moved by his vision. He instead created an organization and claimed his presence was necessary in Congo for the “civilization” of the Congolese. This “humanitarian” expenditure turned into a violent business of exporting ivory and rubber. It marked the beginning of a brutal regime, which slaughtered almost 11 million Congolese through violence and diseases.
The Congolese were enslaved to produce rubber and ivory in the beginning of King Leopold’s conquest. Ivory was used for piano keys, and jewelry, to name a few. Rubber was used for tires, shoes, and other products. They were high in demand in Europe and the Congolese were forced to produce it. The higher the demand, the higher the quotas. They were punished by having their feet, hands, and sometimes heads cut off for not producing as expected. Women and children were punished through sexual violence. They would sometimes chain them or muzzle them as well. The labor of the Congolese was exploited by the European governments as well as the United States. In the lates 1950s, The Belgium government was forced out by the Congo National Movement. They fought Belgium’s forces and established Congo as an independent country. However, Europe and the U.S. were not through using Congo for its resources.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is rife with natural resources. One of those resources is the mineral Cobalt. Cobalt is a pure metal. Its chemical component has a high melting point and low conductivity. It’s malleable and can easily be turned into metal alloy. Cobalt has been used by humans for centuries. It was used in ceramics, jewelry, and the creation of glass products. In modern times, it’s at the helm of our modern technological innovations. Cobalt is used in telecommunications technologies such as phones, computers, and GPS systems. It’s used in rechargeable batteries, airbags, paint as a drying agent–even hip replacements! And of course vapes.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has the largest reserves of Cobalt on this planet. Many Congolese women and children are forced to work in Cobalt mines to earn a living. They work with their bare hands, sometimes with pickaxes and shovels, to extract the cobalt. Cobalt is dangerous to touch and breathe, yet we expect thousands of people to risk their lives and health everyday to benefit mostly the West and our consumption patterns. Vapes/E-Cigarettes use lithium ion recharged batteries, which have cobalt in them. When we purchase vapes as well as phones and computers, we are directly benefitting from children, women, and men, forced to work in horrific conditions. Many people have been displaced and their villages turned into mines for the extraction of cobalt. It’s hard to avoid working in the mines as there is a large demand for cobalt. Different militias and armed forces in the Congo are fighting to take ownership of these mines and financially benefit. This has led many to call the conflict in Congo a genocide. Millions have been murdered and counting.
That’s why you should give up vaping in 2024. It’s harder to give up our phones and computers as we’ve created a structure in the West, in which you need these items to participate in society. Some of us work remotely and need our computers for our livelihood essentially. But, do you need a vape? Do you need to consume THC or Nicotine through a vape? Contrary to popular belief, vapes are not a healthier alternative. Vape smoke produces a number of toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and, acrolein. Acrolein is a herbicide used to kill weeds. What’s it doing in a vape, let alone, our lungs? Acrolein can cause lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and worsen asthma. E-cigarretes do have fewer toxic chemicals than regular cigarettes. However, not by much. Not only can we do without vapes, but we can contribute to the lives of others. The less vapes produced, the less the demand for cobalt.
Privilege allows us to ignore the suffering of others. Matter of fact, our privilege in the West is built off of the suffering of others. The West benefits from the Congolese mining cobalt, while the Congolese suffer. Men, children, and women are displaced so we can have the latest iPhone, laptops, and computers. We can make decisions that uplift and make the lives of others easier. We can create mass change by rethinking our consumption habits. We don’t need to purchase vapes/E-cigarrettes. There are alternatives such as smoking THC through rolling papers and regular cigarettes. We can even go a step further and quit smoking altogether. What ever we decide, we can’t afford to purchase vapes anymore because what’s at stake is bigger than us. Sacrifice is difficult, but it has its own rewards – a world in which people can live fulfilling lives free of subjugation. Many people across TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter have taken the pledge to stop vaping in solidarity with the Congolese. Will you be joining them this 2024?
Resources:
https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/violence-democratic-republic-congo
