December 15, 2010
Dear SEC,
I am horrified to know that there are around 7 million dead in Congo and we have not done what we can to stop this war from ceasing . My heart aches for all the children lost or made child soldiers, mothers dead , women gang raped , men having to give up their families because of all the shame they have to bear having been unable to protect their wives from being gang raped.
I had no idea what was actually fueling it all . When I learnt that I was part of the problem , I decided to stand on the side of humanity and do whatever I can to bring this to a stop. We need our tech companies to stand with the human lives as well and ensure us the products we buy donot have blood in them.
But we have seen that companies are not so concerned about the lives of Congolese lost which puzzles me as I cannot think of myself selling something that has taken the lives of the Congo people . So I do ask of you to be brave , courageous and implement the Dodd-Frank Title XV amendment to the Financial Reform Package with all the force you have and we are going to hold your hand each step of the way . It should not be hard to understand that life is more important than any gadgets we buy ridden with conflict minerals and it should not be hard to make that decision politically as well . Can we ask of the tech companies to bear the same what the Congo has endured for so long ? We can and we must to have their eyes and hearts open for all the suffering going on in the Congo.
I will be so proud and indebted to you if you stand with us and do the best the Congo people ask of you ( Saving lives) .
I am a member of Lisa Shannon's A Thousand sisters group. I am a child , a daughter , a sister, a mother , an aunt. Above all , I am a WOMAN . I stand up for all the women who have lost their dignity again and again and again.
Please help stop the violence . Please help stop the gang rapes .
Many thanks,
Richa.