We applaud your visit to Congo last year. As American women, business owners, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, runners, and others deeply concerned with Congo, we are proud of your interest and commitment to Eastern Congo.

However, if the IRC mortality study statistics have held, more than 500,000 Congolese people have died since your visit. Tens of thousands of women, children, and even infants have been raped, including the recent incident of close to 200 women and infants, within 10 miles of a UN compound. This is our shame.

The USA has taken precious little action. That needs to change today. You are the leader to make it happen.

1. You promised Congo 17 million dollars. Why is it still sitting in a US Government account, buried in red tape? Unacceptable. Please do what you must to get this critically needed aid to Congolese women today.
2. The culture of impunity in Congo must end. Congo needs a justice system. The Congolese army must be professionalized, so soldiers “protect and serve” rather than “steal and rape”.   We urge you to coordinate with donor governments and the Congolese government to spearhead a comprehensive national security sector reform plan for Congo.

Congolese women and children need your immediate action. We look forward to celebrating your bold, immediate leadership on this critical issue.

Sincerely,

A Thousand Sisters

{Please add YOUR name and personal note to Secretary Clinton here. I’ll pass it on!}

Lisa Shannon, Founder, Run for Congo Women, Author A Thousand Sisters, Sister to Generose & Thousands of other Congolese women.

Our message: We’ll pay the extra penny. Congolese lives are worth it.

Please send the following message to Intel, care of our new contact at the corporate responsibility department: email hidden; JavaScript is required

Dear Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini,

We applaud and thank Intel for their leadership on supply chain investigations and willingness to address the issue of conflict minerals. The proactive steps the company has taken make it a front runner of the industry.  However, we have heard reports that Intel is pushing to water down the Conflict Minerals Trade Act (H.R. 4128) to make it less “burdensome” for industry.   This will weaken the bill, stall it in Congress, and ultimately cost thousands of Congolese lives and continue the worst sexual violence on the planet. As Intel’s consumers and employees, we must ensure that the company does the right thing and supports H.R. 4128, as the bill is written, this year.   We are bewildered that Intel would take steps that risk its groundbreaking efforts on conflict minerals in an effort to save less than one penny per product.

Human life is worth more than a penny. We urge Intel to immediately cease all efforts to weaken the Conflict Minerals Trade Act. Rather, we urge Intel to issue a public statement in full support of The Conflict Minerals Trade Act as written and actively lobby for its passage as written.

Sincerely,

Your name here

Ding, ding, ding, ding! It’s the hundred million dollar question.

The DR Congo is among the most mineral rich countries on the planet, with stores of more than 1,100 minerals, including diamonds, gold, copper, tin, cobalt, tungsten, and 15-20% of the world’s tantalum, otherwise known as coltan, an essential semi-conductor in electronics like cell phones, laptops, video games, and digital cameras. You likely have a chunk of Congo in your pocket.

The United Nations has accused all nations involved in the conflict as using the war as a cover for looting. How does it work?  Militias control territories that contain mines. The militias mine and export themselves, or “tax” locals who do the work for them. Everyone seems to be in on the action: Corrupt government officials who line their pockets through shady contracts; foreign militias; foreign governments who back militias; the Congolese government army; the Mai Mai and other home-grown militias; and of course, the Interahamwe, who control the majority of mines in South Kivu. In a few cases, even UN soldiers. The New York Times ran a report by Lydia Polgreen in December 2008, outlining such an operation, run by a renegade Congolese army brigade, who control a remote, mineral rich area, “master of every hilltop as far as the eye can see.” Unchallenged, they employ locals at ultra-low wages to mine, block all paths, and lug loads of ore via remote forest trails- as far as 30 miles- to the nearest road, where the goods are trucked to a stretch of road that serves as a landing strip for Soviet-era cargo planes, who fly them to Goma or out of Congo.  How much does a guy make carving out his own slice of this pie? One official estimates $300,000 to $600,000 in “taxes” alone.  This operation is estimated to be worth as much as $80 million a year.

The goods are illegally exported to countries like Rwanda or Uganda, who in turn ship them to processing plants, primarily in Asia. Eventually, large corporations buy them and distribute these conflict riches around the world in the form of our favorite consumer goods: diamond engagement rings, Sony Playstations waiting under the Christmas tree, that sleek, new MacBook Air, or our ever-precious Crack-berries.

According to The Enough Project, in 2008 alone, armed groups will have made $185 million from illegal trade of Congo’s minerals. Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, as well as Congolese government officials, have made hundreds of millions of dollars off of the Congo plunder. For instance, in the first half of 2008, Rwanda’s primary tin mine will produce about five tons per month.  Yet, in the same period Rwanda will report 2,679 tons in tin exports.  According to UN reports, when Rwanda seized control of eastern Congo in the late 1990’s, they smuggled hundreds of millions of dollars worth of coltan, cassiterite, and diamonds to Rwanda.  The New York Times quotes one Rwandan government official, “I used to see generals at the airport coming back from Congo with suitcases full of cash.”

But rebel groups can only control the minerals if they control the territory. And they can only control the territory if they control the people. And there is one age-old way to control the people: terror.  As one Harvard researcher puts it, there seems to be a “competition among armed groups to be the most brutal.”

We can stop the atrocities in Congo if we stop the gravy train fueling the conflict. Log onto the Enough Project website and send a message to 21 of the top electronics companies letting them know you support Conflict free electronics. It takes about a minute. Then reach out to your friends and ask them to do the same.

http://www2.americanprogress.org/t/1659/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=6265

Bonus: Eye of the Tiger. Survivor.  Okay, it’s silly. That’s why it didn’t make the list.  But it is the best overall workout song ever, and you know it.  Put it in the mix, just for fun.  You’ll get many miles out of this golden oldie.

10. Masters Of War. Pearl Jam recording of this Bob Dylan classic. No one says it quite like Bob.  This one goes out to all the mining executives, all the guys making serious cash off the conflict.  Apropos, for sure, but it’s further down the list because it’s angry- a great motivator and will help you log some serious mileage, but ultimately anger will only carry you so far. (By the way, no, I don’t hope they die.  I usually scroll to the next song when I hit the final verse.)

Come you masters of war…./You fasten all the triggers/ For the others to fire/ Then you set back and watch/ While the death count gets higher/ Then you hide in your mansion/ While the young people’s blood/ Flows out of their bodies/ And is buried in the mud

9. What a Feeling. Irene Cara. Nevermind the fact Flashdance was my very favorite movie when I was 8 (yes, my parents were that liberal.)  It’s the story of starting run for Congo Women!

First when there’s nothing but a slow glowing dream/ That your fear seems to hide deep inside your mind…/ Take your passion!  Make it happen!

8. Alina. Arvo Part. Sometimes on a long run, blood pumping music feels like it’s mocking your pain.  Sometimes you need some music that slows you down and helps you Zen-out. This stunning piece was written as a prayer, and always make me feel like I’m floating.

7. The Campfire Song. 10,000 Maniacs.  Let’s be real. It’s about the money.  This one is a little more compassionate than the Dylan.

A lie to say, “O my mountain has coal veins and beds to dig/ 500 men with axes and they all dig for me.”/ A lie to say, “O my mine gave a diamond as big as a fist.”/ But with every gem in his pocket, the jewels he has missed. (I always think of Congolese kids- the real treasure)/ A lie to say “O my forest has trees that block the sun/ and when I cut them down I don’t answer to anyone.”/ No, no, never will he believe that his greed is a blinding ray./ No devil or redeemer can cheat him./ He’ll take his gold where he’s lying cold./ A lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely man.

6. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. U2.  I think about my Congolese sisters when I hear this one.  Until there’s stability in Congo, yes, I’m still running.

I have climbed highest mountain/ I have run through the fields/ Only to be with you./ I have run/ I have crawled/ I have scaled these city walls/ These city walls/ Only to be with you/ But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for/ Yes, I’m still running.

5. Africa Unite. Bob Marley and the Wailers.  As soon as I landed in the Nairobi Airport, I got it. Bob Marley is the soundtrack of Africa.  My driver Serge had a bootlegged tape we listened to- among the favorites were Redemption Songs, One Drop, and of course War.  But this one we looped more times that I can say, driving up and down the gutted streets of Bukavu.  How good and how pleasant it would be, indeed.  Play it again, Serge!

Africa unite!  Cause your children want to go home./ How good and how pleasant it would be/ Before God and man/ To see the unification of all Africans/ As it’s been said let it be done/ I tell you who we are under the sun.

4. War on War. Wilco. I listened to this song non-stop, psyching myself up while prepping for my first trip to Congo. Walk through the flaming doors.  Feel the burn.

Walk through the flaming doors./ You have to lose./ You have to learn how to die/ If you wanna be alive./ It’s a war on war.

3. Survivor. Destiny’s Child.  Oooh.  The next time you think about hopping off the treadmill a few minutes pre-goal, flip this one on.  There will be no stopping you.

I’m a survivor, I’m not gonna give up/ I’m not gonna stop, I’m gonna work harder/ I’m a survivor, I’m gonna make it/ I will survive, Keep on survivin’

2.  Sunday Bloody Sunday. U2. It’s a battle cry.  Whew. This one will get you through many a steep incline.  It’s the best.  A close tie for number one.

I can’t believe the news today/ Oh, I can’t close my eyes and make it go away/ How long, how long must we sing this song?/ How long? How long?/ ’Cause tonight we can be as one, tonight/ Sunday, Bloody Sunday/ And it’s true we are immune when fact is fiction and TV reality/ And today the millions cry/ We eat and drink while tomorrow they die

[But you aren’t eating and drinking. You are Running for Congo Women!  You go girl! (or guy!)]

1. Change. Tracy Chapman. My number one Run for Congo Women song of all time. Still gives me chills, everytime.  Life is so short. Change.

If you knew that you would die today/ If you saw the face of God and love (cute Congolese kids faces here)/ Would you change?/ How bad, how good does it need to get? (Seriously.)/ How many losses? How much regret? (5.4 million….)/ What chain reaction? What cause and effect?/ Makes you turn around?/ Makes you change?

But when you log as many hours on the trail as I have, nothing gives you a boost like a new song. I’d LOVE your suggestions. Please post them here!