Mapping a Resource War: Spatial Analysis of Conflict and Minerals in the Albertine Rift Valley​

Presenter Information

Anthony Braun

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Campus where you would like to present

SURC Ballroom B/C/D

Start Date

21-5-2015

End Date

21-5-2015

Keywords

Resource, Conflict, Correlation

Abstract

The international community has placed more awareness of conflict minerals since the Sierra Leone Civil War. Despite the large amount of market and consumer attention placed specifically on diamonds since the war, there are other minerals mined in Africa that have become increasing categorized as conflict minerals. In the East Africa Rift Valley, between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, a mineral rich region has been the location of many conflicts over the past 25 years. The question of whether minerals extracted in this region are being used by conflict actors to fund their rebellions has not been answered, yet little attention has been paid despite the possibility that minerals found in everyday life, such as tin and copper, could be integral to over two decades of bloodshed. This research will utilize ArcGIS and Statistix to analyze reports of attacks on civilian populations between 2010 and 2014 by conflict actors. Incidents of violence against civilians will be further analyzed to spatially correlate attacks with mining locations to determine whether minerals being extracted from mines in the region can be classified as conflict minerals.

Poster Number

38

Faculty Mentor(s)

Jennifer Lipton

Department/Program

Geography

Additional Mentoring Department

Geography

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May 21st, 11:30 AM May 21st, 2:00 PM

Mapping a Resource War: Spatial Analysis of Conflict and Minerals in the Albertine Rift Valley​

SURC Ballroom B/C/D

The international community has placed more awareness of conflict minerals since the Sierra Leone Civil War. Despite the large amount of market and consumer attention placed specifically on diamonds since the war, there are other minerals mined in Africa that have become increasing categorized as conflict minerals. In the East Africa Rift Valley, between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, a mineral rich region has been the location of many conflicts over the past 25 years. The question of whether minerals extracted in this region are being used by conflict actors to fund their rebellions has not been answered, yet little attention has been paid despite the possibility that minerals found in everyday life, such as tin and copper, could be integral to over two decades of bloodshed. This research will utilize ArcGIS and Statistix to analyze reports of attacks on civilian populations between 2010 and 2014 by conflict actors. Incidents of violence against civilians will be further analyzed to spatially correlate attacks with mining locations to determine whether minerals being extracted from mines in the region can be classified as conflict minerals.