In a recent decision, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in the United States ruled in favor of tech giants Google, Apple, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, and Tesla, who were accused of supporting child labor in the cobalt mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The plaintiffs, representing 14 anonymous victims, including family members of children killed in tunnel or wall collapses, or children maimed under similar circumstances, accused the five companies of being complicit in “forced labor” by purchasing cobalt, which is used in the production of lithium-ion batteries widely used in electronics.
However, the appellate court stated that the purchase of cobalt in the global supply chain did not constitute “engaging in a venture” under federal law protecting children and other victims of human trafficking and forced labor.
Judge Neomi Rao mentioned that the plaintiffs had the right to seek damages but had not proven that the five companies had more than a buyer-seller relationship with the suppliers, or the power to put an end to child labor.
For the plaintiffs, this decision strongly encourages companies to avoid transparency with their suppliers, even as they promise the public to enforce a “zero tolerance” policy towards child labor.
by Franck zongwe lukama
