Stop Pillage: What is looting?

The practice of pillage

Since the end of the Cold War, the illegal exploitation of natural resources has become a key source of funding for armed conflicts around the globe.

The trade in looted raw materials (gold, tungsten, coltane, diamonds, precious wood, etc.) has provided warring parties with the financial means to commit atrocities in some of the worst war zones in recent history, including:

• Afghanistan
• Angola
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Colombia
• East Timor
• Sierra Leone

The illicit trade in these raw materials depends on commercial actors (traders, companies, refineries) to purchase, transport, and market the illegally acquired resources. The involvement of these corporate actors enables the violence and perpetuation of human rights abuses.

International law condemns looting in the context of an armed conflict and considers pillage a war crime. Nevertheless, looting and the laundering of these illicitly obtained natural resources continue in numerous regions around the world.

Pillage will stop only when the corporate actors involved in this predatory economy are held accountable for their actions.

3 NGOs united against looting

The Open Society Justice Initiative, Conflict Awareness Project and TRIAL (Track Impunity Always) are three NGO’s working to reduce war crimes and impunity.

They are joining forces to advance the fight against the looting of natural resources in conflict zones.

“Stop Pillage” works to hold perpetrators and accomplices of pillage around the world accountable by gathering reports, conducting investigations, building cases for criminal complaints, and raising global public awareness.

Contact

Chloé Bitton
Communications Director

T : +41 22 321 61 10
M : +41 79 192 37 44
E : media@trialinternational.org
trialinternational.org

Jonathan Birchall
Communications Officer

T : +1 212 547 6958
M : +1 917 225 3346
E : jonathan.birchall@opensocietyfoundations.org
www.opensocietyfoundations.org

Greg Hittelman
Deputy Director

T : +1 310 717 0606
E : ghittelman@conflictawareness.org
www.conflictawareness.org