Holst Robin Paper

University of Gothenburg Robin Holst
Global Studies: Thematic Issues
DRC, the Deadly Resource of Coltan
Conference paper, Robin Holst
Thematic Issues GS2122, University of Gothenburg
2015-01-08
Word Count: 4101
Abstract:
Most of the worlds population use some kind of electronics in their everyday life. We know where
they are bought and what they cost, but rarely what is inside of them and what that device has gone
through and caused on the way to our hands. Most of these devices contain the mineral coltan,
which often is mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other parts of Central Africa.
This mineral is the source of a vast ammount of problems in this area, especially due to the weak
governance and thus causing rebels ruling the areas and taking the profit. The workers are living in
fear with little economic gain. This is a common situation with countries which discovers natural
resources, hoping that this revelation will bring economic prosperity and be a advantage for the
country. Oftentimes in countries with weak governments or strong military opposition, this becomes
a 'resource curse' which often lead to the total opposite. The example of Coltan in Central Africa is
just one of many. What makes this situation special is that it has gone on for a long time and has no
anticipated change. The focus of this conference paper is to find out the consequences of the
situation with aspects to the social, economic and ecological risk of the mining, the empowerment
of the workers and the consumption by us consumers. After this I will attempt to find and analyze
possible solutions to the situation, with connection to a presented theoretical scienctific framework.
Keywords: Coltan, Congo, Governance, 'Resource curse', Risk, Empowerment, Consumption.
1

Introduction and Problem description
Introduction
On a daily basis, many of us wake up by the alarm of the phone, look at social media while having
breakfast, listening to the radio on the way to work or school where they often use laptops and
tablets. After coming home, they turn on the tv before going to bed and setting the alarm for the
following day. The usage of electronics in our everyday life has increased massivly, computers
getting slimmer, phones lighter, GPS working more efficiently. In that note, knowing what is inside
the electronics and how that effets the world is an important and often overlooked issue. In most
electronical devices, there are components containing coltan, or columbite-tantalite, which is a
mineral used in many different electronics, most notedly cellphones and computers, but also in for
instance energy turbines and aircrafts (Bleischwitz, Dittrich, and Pierdicca 2012). This mineral,
alongside with many others used in this business, exists in a few countries throughout the world,
only in relative small quantities. However, it is estimated that roughly 80% of it derives from
Central Africa, notedly the Democratic Republic of the Congo, hereon after DRC, and Rwanda
where also the largest ammount of conflict due to coltan arise. Where the mineral is mined is
somewhat hard to find, especially between Rwanda and DRC since if the mineral is processed and
enhanced in Rwanda, it can be exported as produced there (Smith 2011; Blieschwitz, Dittrich, and
Pierdicca 2012). For that reason, Central Africa is a better term and limitation.
Mining this mineral is a dirty business conducted within often weak states. Due to the absence of
government in this area, many rebel groups has taken control, not only over the geographical area
but also the business within. This, as well as the high price of the minerals, leads to the economic
prosperity of the rebels, and in turn making them able to maintain their position by purchasing
arms and influencing governments through many sorts of corruption (Le Billon 2005, 1-8).
Problem description and disposition
This conference paper will focus on the impacts from, and possible solutions to, the coltan-mining
in Central Africa.
The mining industry regards more than coltan, hence the usage of the words minerals. When
specific for coltan, that name will be used. This paper, being a conference paper in global studies,
will focus on the social scienctifical part of consequences and possibilities rather than the
2

technological discussion of other material and replacements.
I will start with a background to the situation in regards to politics, geography and science.
Afterwards, I will go into the analytic framework where theories and concepts will be discussed
an later used in the analysis. In the end, I will analyze a couple of possible solutions and give
some of my personal suggestions in connection to the theories in the analytical framework.
Background
Minerals and the 'resource curse'
In many countries, especially in the global south, minerals and other natural resources is a important
asset in a economical aspect in both usage and export as well as in the labour market. Some of these
minerals have a hig value, gold and diamonds and classical examples. There is a large variety of
natural resources that is traded which has a big economical impact, they are thus a good growth for
national economies. The trade of natural resources is big throughout the world, the natural gas and
oil keeps many rich countries afloat, the wood industry is a large and important matter to many
countries as well as fishing and farming are vital to others. The matter of trades are not seen as
conflict resources for that reason. To be classified as such, the conflict is an obvious factor. This
situation of countries having valuable resources that were hoped to bring the countries from poverty
but that ended up rather hurting the country, has been named 'resource curse'. In the affected areas,
the states are often weak and the ammount of militas and guerrilla groupings are vast. The regimes
are often authoritarian and/or corrupt which makes it a target for economical gains rather than the
development of the country (Le Billon 2005, 1-12).
In this case one might see this as a political scientist point of view since the matter of state and
governance is a key issue in these countries. However, one might also see that the demand for these
minerals leads to a possible supply and thereby is this issue more than a local phenomenon, it
depends on the purchase of companies and in the long run by consumers puchasing products
containing these minerals.
In a situation regarding a natural resource and where they are mined faster than regenerated, the
scarcity continues to grow (Snarr and Snarr 2012, 295-296). Whether a resource scarcity leads to a
conflict or a decline of it is up for debate. While it is often pointed out that, for instance these cases
in Central Africa, scarcity leads to a conflict, there is a debate whether it can also be a instrument
for increased cooperation (Raleigh and Urdal 2007; Gleditsch et al. 2006). In the situation of
3

Central Africa and minerals, it can be stated that conflict is the most common response, but whether
this is due to the type of resource, lack of strong governance or any other variable is uncertain. It is
important to note that each situation is different and that for instance minerals might be more prone
to conflict than more renewable resources such as water (Gleditsch et al. 2006).
Why these minerals and why here?
An important question to be asked it why these minerals has become the attractive ones and therefor
leading to this situation. Leaving gold and diamonds with a mostly aesthetical reason aside, these
minerals are used in many electronics due to their components. Not being a chemist paper, I will not
go into the details of minerals, but these has been and still are the best minerals for the task. They
are efficient and light which is a key issue in electronics, historically and today. If they were to exist
in another place, this situation might have occured nevertheless if another mineral were here. The
rebel groups in Central Africa take advantage of the lack of strong governance through arms
dealing, kidnapping and not the least dealing with minerals. In this case, the minerals are dug up by
workers, either working at a mine directly controled by rebel groups or in some way they manage to
get a hold on them. Then, it is sold in a black market due to lack of official international market,
since every deal is between buyer and seller. The gained money is often used to either purchase
weapons and other material or bribing state officials to mainain their position and control. In that
way, the coltan in most electronic devices are paying for the ongoing situation in Central Africa
(Bleischwitz, Dittrich, and Pierdicca 2012; Sedíleková 2014; Smith 2011; Nathan and Sarakar
2010).
Analytic Framework
Scientifical Theory
To analyze the situation the Central Africa, I will take a standpoint from three perspectives, risk,
empowerment and comsumption since they are crucial parts in this case. I will also bring and
briefly sumarize up the appropriate analytical theories presented by Jan Aart Scholte.
Ulrich Beck (2013, 135) discusses risk as a two way road, that 'it is a cultural perception and
definition that constitute risk', meaning the division between percieved and real risks. This, as well
as the three levels of knowing, where both the actor and outcome might be known or unknown leads
to a unstable situation where risk is present at all times, with or without real threat (Krahmann 2011,
4

6-8). Normally resource scarcity discussed as food and water, however, when a resource is
excavated faster than regenerated, it can be seen as a scarcity. Colin Kahl states that 'resource
scarcity will weaken state institutions and provide opportunities for potential rebels to challenge the
state authority. Conflict may arise when the potential gains from a rebellion are higher than the
costs that a state can inflict on the rebels' which can be seen in these often weak and currupt states
(Raleigh and Urdal 2007).
The empowerment of people in poverty and fear makes them subaltern in several ways. Partly since
they are working under harsh conditions within contries that lacks strong governance. According to
the Commission of Legal Empowerment of the Poor, CLEP, there are four policy reforms needed.
Increasing access to and respecting of justice, funtioning propoerty systems such as property rights,
labour rights and business rights, both to help workers and business owners (Cousins 2009, 894).
The first reform regarding property rights is, according to Klaus Deninger and Gershon Feder, one
of the key issues since the property is a major part of the wealth of families, and without it, it is hard
to do anything sustainable to handle poverty (Deininger and Feder 2009, 233).
In a situation of commerce acting towards environmental issue, there are two categories within the
debate to take into account. The first one, also known as environmental improvement, continues the
current path of production and distribution, trying to find minor improvments while the other
category sees the current system as unsustainable and tries to find another solution, another way
forward. However, Thomas Princen suggests a third option, leaving this production-focused mindset
and moving over to placing nature in center for a what he calls 'consumer angle' which focus on the
limitation of nature rather than trying to produce what is, at the moment, possible (Princen 2001).
Within the international community, there are a number of rules regarding states, one of the
fundaments of international law is sovreignty. There are four parts of the state sovreignty, according
to Steven Krasner, international legal sovereignty with a acknowledgement of the equality of all
states, westfalian sovereignty with non-internvention, domestic sovereignty where the countrys
leaders has the authority and the interdependence sovereignty that regards the flow of migration,
capital and transports. These are equally important and without merely one of these, sovereignty is
non-existant (Krasner 1999, 3-4).
Analytical Theory
The fundamental part of liberalism regards the progression of humans though political liberty and
5

economic prosperity. Major parts or this it technological innovation, consumption and the rational,
and all equal, self-interested individual. Society is based on rules and institutions which, together
with balance of power and interstate competition, leads to modernisation and progress. (Scholte
2005, 124-126; 2013). In difference to liberalism, postcolonialism sees supression of different parts
of the world as crucial. The world is divided into hegemonic and counter-hegemonic groups, or
colonial agents and subalterns. There is, according to postcolonial theory, a high variety of
hierarchies, based on gener, race, class and many other divisions. The struggle for national
recognition and influence is a essential part which all in all places this theory in the post-
modernistic grouping. (Scholte 2005, 132-133; 2013).
Analysis
Risk
Due to the geographically small deposits, small scale mining of coltan is the most common one in
Central Africa. This, as well as the political situation in this area, leads to many corporations not
investing, opening up a possibility for local organizations. These local groupings are often under
control, directly or indirectly, from guerillas and other milita groupings. This leads to that the
surplus from the mining comes into the hands of these groups. Out of the 13 largest mines in DRC
2010, 12 were under the control or different military groupings (Nathan and Sarakar 2010)
Being conducted within a situation based on power and fear, the workers as well as some politicians
are under the control from the guerilla groups which leads to a socially unstable situation.
(Bleischwitz, Dittrich, and Pierdicca 2012). The situation for the workers at the mines is rough and
dirty but provides a living, if yet a dangerous and low payed one. The benefits, however, will be
discussed later under empowerment. Mining is laborious and it is time consuming to get limited
ammount of coltan, but on the other hand not as time consuming as plantation where one needs to
have land, sow, harvest, transport and sell the products (Smith 2011). As an effect to the minings,
there has been new commerce opportunities but also abuses. It is reported that women in the areas,
working both in mines and elsewhere are being abused and raped (Nathan and Sarakar 2010).
Not only is this a economical and social problem. The mining industry is a dirty business in many
ways. It creates a lot of pollution, debris and waste during the mining and transportation. Many
international organizations are under pressure to lower emissions and waste, but these small
entrepreneurs are not which leads to yet another of the problems faced in the mining industry
6

(Winlow, Winlow, and Atkinson 2013). In all of these economical, social and economical aspects,
one can see the known risk present at all times (Krahmann 2011, 6-8). The threat of rebel groupings,
fear of death from both mining and the rebels as well as the environmental risk of degradation and
destruction. In the aspect of risk, one can make a couple of connections to liberalism and
postcolonialism. One of the main parts of liberalism, equality, is missing in this situation, where
there is a clearly stated division between rebel groups and the others. The social structure is there,
but outside the governance or democratically decided one. There are rules and institutions though
not conducted through democracy or discussion but rather based on fear and power. The historical
process of balance of power and competition exists, but on a local, intra- rather than interstate, level
(Scholte 2005, 124-126; 2013). Aside from liberalism, there are a couple of elements that fits with
postcolonialism. One can see that this is a situation of assertion and suppression of life worlds, in
difference to colonialism that was gepgraphically based, this is rather a sole power-situation. A
vacuum appeared after the de-colonialization and these groups took advantage of the weak position
of the states (Scholte 2005, 132-133; 2013). It can be compared with the real and percieved
historical risk of the future of the country before and during the de-colonialization (Beck 2013,
135).
Empowerment
There are two sides to the coin regarding empowerment of the workers in the mining industry. One
the one hand the workers receive a salary which can be the difference between life and death in
poor areas, despite being low, the salary can pay for food and security for the family (Smith 2011).
The other side of the coin is the corporations which work to actually empower the workers though
for instance themselves owning the mine they work in. Situations where the corporations purchase
the minerals straight from the mine, without any intermediaries (Fairphone 2014). In that way, one
can clearly see the necessity of CLEP's four policy changes, that labour and business rights from the
government, which would prove useless without acess to justice and ownership over the mines as
well as the land surrounding it (Cousins 2009, 894). With empowerment from the international
community to the governments, these four policy changes couild be put into place such as
leveraging international aid or World Bank led operations to construct functioning institutions (Le
Billon 2005, 69; Scholte 2005, 219). In context to postcolonialism, this can be seen as a situation of
hegemonc versus counter-hegemonic groups, or rebels versus population. There are aspects of
struggle for respect and recognition, but in difference to recognition as a state, these groups have
7

more control infuencing the current governments than if they were to attempt a coup d'etat or in any
other way try to gain political power in government, proving the domestic sovereignty low or
nonexistant (Scholte 2005, 132-133; 2013; Krasner 1999, 3-4).
Consumption
Inside most electronic products, there is a vast range of materials and minerals. Through the
society of mass consumption today, where the purchse of electronic products increse every year
and therefore the amount of used coltan and other minerals increases (Gartner 2014). There are
some organizations working for speading information regarding this as well as other work for the
change of materials used. Through our purchases, we contribute to the exploitation of workers
and the economic inflow to the conflict zone in the long run. Knowing what materials to avoid or
how they were produced is a hard task. Most corporations wants to be percieved as good and
doing what they can. This is one of the reasons many NGOs are trying to find information about
who uses what material (Greenpeace 2014; Fairphone 2014; WWF 2014). There are many
international agreements upon what to use and what should be done about labour rights and other
important aspects. On the other hand, these corporations work on a supply and demand arena
where often maximizing economical profit is the main goal which often collides with ecological
and ethical aspects. On the other hand, as stated earlier, the trade of coltan is not open and
transparant which provides difficulties in implementation (Bleischwitz, Dittrich, and Pierdicca
2012).
Another aspect of is the technological development where coltan and other minerals are replaced
with either more efficient or in any other way better material. This can be seen as a empowerment
of engineers or other developers as well as a change of consumption pattern since the commerce of
coltan would decrease (Samsung 2008). This is a clear example of Thomas Princens two types of
categories within the environmenal part of commerce. First, there are the producers working
according to the environmental improvments where the product is being used as normal and if
there is any possibility to smaller improvement they will use them. Second there are the
companies purchasing straight from the producers and not through the rebel groups as well as
those changing their material usage and excluding these minerals totally which in the first case
reduces the damage and second takes it away totally. One might even say that changing from
coltan to other material or in any other way looking outsite the current methods is according to
Princens own suggested 'production angle' (Princen 2001).
8

Connecting to the postcolonial theory of technological innovation and market dynamics of
capitalism, it has led to a, for the rebels, prosperous way but does not lead to a human progression
per se. Without globalization, this consumption pattern would not exist to this extent which would
minimize the gains for the extraction of this and other minerals. On the other hand, the population
in this area is not driving globalization forward by consumption but rather by production (Scholte
2005, 132-133; 2013).
How to change
Finding solutions to conflicts is never easy, in this case there are many variables to take into
account. Nevertheless, in the litterature there is quite a few possible ways out of this situation, both
leaving the resource wars and maybe even changing the future of the resource curse.
Philippe Le Billon (2005, 57) states three often used solutions 'capturing resource areas from rebel
forces, sharing revenues between belligerents and imposing economic sanctions'. Le Billon does not
go into detail regaring the first two of the stated initiatives, but rather focus on previous sanctions
and their outcomes. This leads to a question of how the capturing and sharing of revenues would be
performed, both in theory and practice. The sanctions, he states, has so far been with lacking results.
Whether this is reason enough to change strategy or if the pressure from the domestic is larger than
international regarding sovereignty is hard to know (Krasner 1999, 3-4).
Another suggestion for this situation is the labeling of the product such as the Kimberly Process
regarding diamonds from conflict zones. Raimund Blieschwitz, Monika Dittrich and Chiara
Pierdicca (2012) states the problematic steps to reach such a label, which includes government
reform and international cooperation. This liberalist approach would be welcome by putting the
information in the hands of the consumers, but how to perform such a labeling is not mentioned.
To these, I would add another three. Strengthening governance, mining rights and consumption
changes.
Any changes in the local level might be short termed if the national government is corrupt, weak or
in any other way not able to put the population and country first. How this should be done is another
matter which is wiser to leave to the political scientists. However, the possibilities mentioned earlier
of leveraging international aid or the World Bank led operations are some (Le Billon 2005 57-69;
Bleischwitz, Dittrich, and Pierdicca 2012). Through funtioning governance, safety can be secured to
a larger extent, which would have a positive impact on investments and establishment of companies
9

in the area. This can be examplified according to Krasners sovereignties, where the domestic
sovereignty in these countries are to be questioned which leads to questioning the national
sovereignty. To maintain this, the control of the internal affairs should be under government control
(Krasner 1999, 3-4).
The second suggestion, mining rights, originates from the discussion of property rights and poverty.
Deninger and Feder states that through property rights, the wealth of households and firms are
highly stabilized and are a key component in their wealth (Deininger and Feder 2009). The same, I
would argue, goes for corporations. If the mines were owned by companies, and secured by the
government from previous suggestion, revenue would come to the workers to a larger extent and the
society would benefit from this, societally and individually. As a continuation, if mining rights
would be provided, the pressure on the corporations could, and probably would, increase. The
government, international community, partners and not the least consumers could demand actions
and explainations rather than the uncertain situation of today, through for instance Corporate Social
Responsibility, CSR, and Fair Trade (Scholte 2005, 164, 332). One might also see that this follows
the ideas of CLEP, especially ensuring business rights which would lead to the imposition of
workers rights (Cousins 2009, 894).
My third and final suggestion is connected to the previous. These minerals end up in the largest of
airplanes to the smallest of smartphones. In the end, this all comes down to supply and demand. If
there is no demand for these minerals, the interest of mining would drop. Previously mentioned
organizations informing the public regarding which companies use what materials and from where
as well as change of componens to make these minerals obsolete are two ways of the consumers to
make a difference. This suggestion has connections to the third way of Princen and his 'consumer
angle' where the focus ought to be on what can be sustainably used from the planet, rather than what
can be procuded at the moment (Princen 2001).
All of these suggestions is a unknown-unknown risk to the rebel groups, some of which they know
might be coming and others might be out of thought. Nevertheless, one might see that the risk is not
solely a one way street but it also faces the ones in the hegemonic power, in this case the rebels
(Krahmann 2011, 6-8).
10

Conclusion
Throughout this conference paper the mining and trading of coltan in Central Africa with its
consequences on both local and global level has been studied and discussed. The usage of
technology containing this and other minerals has thus been put in a wider perspective than merely
material use, waste and consumption. An important part of the coltan business is the lack of
international regulation and weak governance within this region, a situation that at this time does
not seem to change drastically in the near future. Despite this, there are positive aspirations for the
future for the users of these electronic devices regarding change of material and new mining-
situations for the workers, but that might be the only positive for the workers, change of ownership
and possibly a better income. What will happen to them when and if coltan will be replaced is hard
to know and for the future to tell. This paper has also looked forward, discussing different
possibilities to change the situation, through local changes such as ownership and protection of the
mine, to national changes of governance and securite as well as international possibilities of
regulations and sanctions. It is also argued that due to technological advancements and social
responsibility, coltan is put higher on the agenda than before. Based on this, the situation in Central
Africa is moving towards a change, either if it is a positive or more negative one.
However, for those wanting to get a better conscience, there might be a easy solution next time one
is to replace the tablet or phone, change to a good brand.
References
Beck, Ulrich. 2013. World at Risk. John Wiley & Sons.
Bleischwitz, Raimund, Monika Dittrich, and Chiara Pierdicca. 2012. “Coltan from Central Africa,
International Trade and Implications for Any Certification.” Resources Policy 37 (1): 19–29.
doi:10.1016/j.resourpol.2011.12.008.
Cousins, Ben. 2009. “Capitalism Obscured: The Limits of Law and Rights-Based Approaches to
Poverty Reduction and Development.” Journal of Peasant Studies 36 (4): 893–908.
doi:10.1080/03066150903354098.
Deininger, K., and G. Feder. 2009. “Land Registration, Governance, and Development: Evidence
and Implications for Policy.” The World Bank Research Observer 24 (2): 233–66.
doi:10.1093/wbro/lkp007.
Fairphone. 2014. “Mining | Fairphone.” Accessed December 30.
http://www.fairphone.com/roadmap/mining/.
Gartner. 2014. “Gartner Says Worldwide Traditional PC, Tablet, Ultramobile and Mobile Phone
Shipments On Pace to Grow 7.6 Percent in 2014.” Gartner. January 7.
http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2645115.
Gleditsch, Nils Petter, Kathryn Furlong, Håvard Hegre, Bethany Lacina, and Taylor Owen. 2006.
11

“Conflicts over Shared Rivers: Resource Scarcity or Fuzzy Boundaries?” Political
Geography 25 (4): 361–82. doi:10.1016/j.polgeo.2006.02.004.
Greenpeace. 2014. “Guide to Greener Electronics.” Greenpeace International. Accessed December
30. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/cool-
it/Campaign-analysis/Guide-to-Greener-Electronics/.
Krahmann, Elke. 2011. “Beck and beyond: Selling Security in the World Risk Society.” Review of
International Studies 37 (01): 349–72. doi:10.1017/S0260210510000264.
Krasner, Stephen D. 1999. Sovereignty: Organized Hypocrisy. Princeton University Press.
Le Billon, Philippe. 2005. Fuelling War: Natural Resources and Armed Conflict. Vol. 2005. Adelphi
Paper 373. Oxon: Routledge.
Nathan, Dev, and Sandip Sarakar. 2010. “Blood on Your Mobile?” Economic & Political Weekly 45
(43): 22–24.
Princen, Thomas. 2001. “Consumption and Its Externalities: Where Economy Meets Ecology.”
Global Environmental Politics, Global Environmental Politics, 1 (3): 11–30.
Raleigh, Clionadh, and Henrik Urdal. 2007. “Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and
Armed Conflict.” Political Geography 26 (6): 674–94. doi:10.1016/j.polgeo.2007.06.005.
Samsung. 2008. “Policy On Coltan.” Policy On Coltan.
http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/corpcitizenship/environmentsocialreport/environ
mentsocialreport_PolicyOnColtan.html.
Scholte, Jan Aart. 2005. Globalization: A Critical Introduction. 2nd ed. Vol. 2005. Basingstoke.
http://www.palgrave.com%2Fpage%2Fdetail%2Fglobalization-jan-aart-scholte%2F%3FK
%3D9780333977026.
———. 2013. “GLOBALISATION Lecture 2: Explanations.” Lecture, Gothenburg, September 9.
Sedíleková, Zaneta. 2014. “Responses to Conflict Electronics: Study of the Democratic Republic of
Congo.” Human Security Centre. Accessed December 30. http://www.hscentre.org/sub-
saharan-africa/responses-conflict-electronics-study-democratic-republic-congo/.
Smith, James H. 2011. “Tantalus in the Digital Age: Coltan Ore, Temporal Dispossession, and
‘movement’ in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.” American Ethnologist 38
(1): 17–35. doi:10.1111/j.1548-1425.2010.01289.x.
Snarr, Michael T., and D. Niel Snarr. 2012. Introducing Global Issues. 5th ed. Vol. 2012. London:
Rienner.
Winlow, Senior Lecturer in Criminology Simon, Simon Winlow, and Rowland Atkinson. 2013. New
Directions in Crime and Deviancy. Routledge.
WWF. 2014. “Conflict in the Green Heart of Africa.” Accessed December 30.
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/congo_basin_forests/problems/conflict/.
12

Holst Robin Paper

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (18)

Similar to Holst Robin Paper

Similar to Holst Robin Paper (20)

Holst Robin Paper