A string of recent media comments have argued that a piece of US legislation aimed at ending conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) actually hurts civilians….[They] all make the…point…that requiring companies to identify the source of their minerals will drive investment away from the DRC and keep people poor. It is a familiar argument…It is also…wrong…[M]inerals from the DRC provide revenue for armed groups to buy weapons to continue fighting. Eastern Congo, where these minerals are found, is an area where murders, massacres, rapes, and other acts of gender-based violence are widespread. According to Global Witness, companies from around the world…are working to extract the region's precious resources. To gain access, they must deal with commanders accused of ordering mass atrocities. This exposes them to potential criminal liability and complicity in rights violations….The challenge for companies working in the DRC…is to develop measures which ensure they source from entities not party to conflict.