Coltan, Congo's Curse

‘How old are you?’

‘Forty-four.’

‘Were you in Rwanda in 1994?’

‘Yes.’

‘Were you a member of Interahamwe?’

‘It was a long time ago.’

‘I will ask again,’ I hissed near his ear. ‘Were you a member of Interahamwe?’

He looked up to me. His breath smelled terrible. I almost felt nauseous.

‘Yes, I was there and I was killing Tutsi cockroaches. They deserved to die.’



This is a story about a Geneva-based Coltan trader being drawn into the Congolese conflict fought over natural resources. Four million dead and counting. Without Coltan, our mobile phones won’t work. Why is this mineral so important to the Military Industrial Complex? It all started right after the Rwanda Genocide of 1994…



“May I call you the Dutch John le Carré?” in an interview with Alphonse Muambi, Congolese Expert on Africa and Strategic Resources, Globalisation and Development.

“I have to say, this is an exciting book,” in an interview with Pim van Galen, Journalist at Dutch Public Television (NOS).

“The plot is really great!” remark by Cecile Dehopre, Doctors Without Borders.


“Van Campen not only tells an enrapturing tale, he also uses Coltan Congo’s Curse as a storytelling mechanism to raise awareness and confront some major issues like child labour, working conditions and conflict minerals in Congo’s mining industry today.” – Bas van Abel, CEO and Founder Fairphone.

„Cati ani ai?” „Patruzeci si patru.” „Ai fost in Ruanda in 1994?” „Da.” „Ai fost membru al Interahamwe?” „A fost cu mult timp in urma.” „Voi intreba din nou, - I-am suierat langa ureche. „Erai membru al Interahamwe?” El a ridicat ochii spre mine.