captioned by the national captioning institute >> welcome to "global 3000." it is your weekly opt it on the issues that matter around the globe. here is what is coming up in today's program -- rare earth, how minerals used in a mobile phone are connected to human rights abuses. thinking ahead -- we visit a forest protection scheme in laos. ever wondered what a real-estate bubble looks like?

we visit a ghost town in china. when you pick up a mobile phone, chances are it contains something people are willing to go to war after. the democratic republic of the condo has some of the richest mines. along with gold, silver, and copper, it is used in the manufacturing of many gadgets we love. frank paulson wanted to know what impact his addiction has on the people that live there, so he went to come and go and found some uncomfortable truths. >> we are in a sales convention for mobile phones. behind the presentations is a sinister story of the appalling conditions at a cold and mine in the democratic republic of congo.

while phone maker nokia is based in finland, the suffering and exploitation in the heart of africa goes on. what is the connection between mobile phones, minerals, and war? a danish journalist investigate the issue in a gripping documentary film. kirk's the war in the condo has social and ethnic origins, but very soon, in the middle of the 1990's, when the mobile phone industry boomed, the prices for these minerals skyrocketed. very soon, the war became more about these minerals and today, it seems to be more about these minerals. >> can our phones contained minerals financing wars in the condo if the world has known anything about this, why has no

one done anything about this? >> he is a mobile phone junkie, which gave his interest and extra edge. he came across the issue in a u.n. report. >> i contacted nokia. they are my phone company. i thought it was my -- natural for me to contact them and ask them how they were dealing with this. they are market leaders when it comes to social responsibility. i would like to speak with someone from communications. >> enicalsa -- i did not have any contact information. >> no kid declined to comment -- commentator >> i'm not familiar with what you are describing. i need to do research. >> he spent one year calling numbers nobody answered.

he decided to fly to the democratic republic of condo where there is a mineral essential for mobile phone production. in recent history, the country has been plagued by civil war, humanitarian disaster, and human rights abuses, some terrorist by militias. widespread poverty is compound by institutional corruption. mining is a hugely lucrative business for some. investigative efforts were not welcome. he were -- he was warned. >> they feel might come and see this could be a deal for us. you are dead. so, you are in danger >> when everybody told me this was so dangerous, i realize this is why i have not heard about it because nobody goes.

the more dangerous, the more important it came to me to finish this story. >> the country was devastated by 15 years of war that cost an estimated 5 million lives with resources become factors in the conflict. the airplane that took him to the mining area. saks full of the valuable minerals, but where to? a 33-day trek, he arrived at in a legal mind and managed to get inside. >> ok. this is how the groups are making money on the mining. they let the local population to the hard work and then impose taxes on everybody. >> the workers are effectively slaves to employers. they have to pay a levy to work, and earned a pittance while others make a fortune. the mine resembles a gigantic

mound worker safety is not on the agenda of the mine owners. the tunnels often collects, varian miners alive. . >> we often think about what went on for a hundred years ago. it was terrible. today it is raw capitalism instead of imperialism, but it is the same outcome. in the best case, the people would get misery, and in many cases armed conflict. the film is important because it asks probing questions such as how much nokia knows about the origin of the mineral used for its phones. australia also has large deposits, mind without inhumane exploitation, but also a higher price.

>> what we are talking about is on one hand we have competition, a race to get profit, and the other hand we have dying children, raked willman -- raped women, and millions dead. you're telling us we're not doing this because we want to make more money? >> i do not see how we can compare. >> when making this film i thought maybe we should talk about a boycott, but i realized it is not realistic. i do not think that is the solution. it will not help the ta go if we turn to the stone age. i think the solution is we deal with these minerals in a fair way or buy them in a fair way that would contribute to a better life for people in frank poulsen. -- combo. >> why would we admit something if we do not feel we have

anything to admit? >> the children to continue to work and die in the minds are in no position to ask questions, and that probably never even heard of the name nokia. >> our plan at's forest surge among other things as vital stores, and -- vital stores, so every tree lost effects the climate. laos, in southeast asia, is a natural treasure trove with by a diversity sustained by best forest used to cover most of the country. here, too, the trees are under threat. in 1940, 7% of the land was forest. today, it is just over half. the german aid process has teamed up with locals in a bid to hold this downward trend.

>> these women are searching for the next meal. they find everything they need to survive in the forest, such as grasses, roots, and bamboo. this is still a fairly pristine in mind, located in a natural reserve. -- environment, located in a natural reserve. the local population can live off of the forest. just a few dozen kilometers away, loggers have destroyed. they are transporting ely lilly- logged tropical timber. these people are not interested in permits. there after a quick money and to get it will sacrifice the forest.

the unique habitat is fragmented by deep corridors of cleared forest. bush's are all that grows back. >> laos has good forests that cover most of the country, but illegal logging in some areas is a problem. the loggers deal with the locals who help them get would the government tries to combat that, of course -- get wood. the government tries to combat that, of course. >> a team for international operation is working with the forest authority. stood the -- the state and experts share the common goal to save the forest. the need the locals help. the car makes repeated stops. where trees once stood, only scrubs is left.

here, farmers have been legally cleared the force to create farm land. the population of loss is growing and needs more food. the average monthly income is less than 100 u.s. dollars. the intensive farming takes its toll on the land. >> i see that the color of the soil has changed. that worries me, because it is not as fertile anymore. >> climate changes not yet a priority for the locals. it is too much of a struggle just to survive. some villages in the province have joined a pilot project. the villagers pledged to actively protect the forests, which could later in the mid small income.

-- earn them a small income. the elders have called the meeting so locals can learn about the nature reserves, the project's objectives, and how locals can make it positive difference -- a positive difference. >> this is a new situation for the people here, who are free to ask the ngo workers question. if the project is to succeed, it is essential that the local population participates. >> we have to make clear the event is this has for the people. they have to understand the project. it is not easy explaining what they can gain, or what they're supposed to achieve, so training is vital, so they all joined in.

>> red plus is the name of the program. when approach will be selling co2 certificates because each tree stores carbon. revenue from the certificates could finance the work and pay for jobs. >> for the project's borders to be defined, the forest has to be surveyed. farmers roam the area with a gps device, recording the number of trees and marking the boundaries. elsewhere, rangers kick out poachers. this is a checkpoint at the edge of the reserves. it comes as a surprise to some that they are not allowed to do as they please.

the park rangers have received training and keep a lookout for weapons and traps, the tools of the poachers. the rangers live in the forest for weeks at a time and earned a modest salary. if they know the region's livelihood depends on an intact and healthy forest. even with minimal equipment, there are already making progress. >> we have been here for a few months and the villagers have noticed we are keeping our eyes opened. they do not come here that often. some take other routes. with confiscated these for capturing animals and a legal tender, but the activity is declining. -- illegal timber, but the activity is declining. >> these rangers are paid guards. often, several dozen people live off of the work of one elephant.

currently, there is used in illegal logging and under poor conditions. the plan is for elephants to work with the rangers under humane conditions that way, they protect their own habitats. -- conditions. that way they protect their own have the tests. >> they are going down to the it is difficult for an elephant who needs a long distance to travel and to my great. it is quite difficult for them to continue this given the current state of forests. preserving the forest is a goal that unites climate and wildlife experts. in the elephant century, this mother can raise her young one in safety. healthy forest surrounds the site. that is the way animals and

people need it. >> now, wherever our reporters go, they like to spend time with locals to learn more about different cultures. they gladly accepted an invitation to visit the home of a teacher that lives in the serbian capital. ♪ >> welcome to our home. come in. this is our living room. first, let's have some coffee and eat something sweet, this

time without alcohol. >> welcome. here is the coffee. ♪ >> whenever anybody comes to this id, you have to offer them something. anything else is considered rude in serbia. welcoming guests with plum brandy used to be standard procedure, even in the morning. nowadays, it is more modern to offer coffee, but what stays the same as the guests must never turn it down. >> that would insult the host. >> my son is a school and my wife is at work. -- is at school, and my wife is at work right now. ♪ >> in most surge in living rooms it is important to present the

family history. we have hung up lots of photos of our ancestors. >> my great-grandfather means a lot to me. he grew up in paris. i want to go to france, too. here are my language diplomas. i love france. ♪ >> this tip will pictures are by well-known serbian painter, but he was very poor. when he became ill, my family but in medicine, and he thanked us with these two pictures.

♪ >> thank you so much for visiting us. come again soon. goodbye. ♪ >> well, thank you for having us. to china, which is currently experiencing what might be the largest housing bubble in history. fueled by cheap money and the passion for investing in real estate, a construction boom has created enormous ghost towns. real-estate prices have more than tripled over the past five years. fears are growing this bubble will burst. a financial earthquake would not only shake china, but the effect would be felt around the world. that is why the communist party is trying to slow down the flow of easy money without causing the economy to stagnate, a delicate situation in the face

of this housing boom. >> sports men without the sports venues without spectators -- buildings without tennis, a city without people -- welcome, a modern ghost town. it is almost uninhabited, but all of the apartments here have been sold. how can that be? even financial experts are shaking their heads about what is gone into investors. >> they expect that the price will appreciate. remember, but probably from a financial point of view does not make a lot of sense in the sense of the value of any property is the cash flow it can generate over time, but those people are not looking at it from that point of view. they have seen property prices

rise, regardless of occupancy. >> this might be hard to grasp. still, construction work continues briskly. the chinese do not know what to do with all the money. they are forbidden to invest abroad. buying expensive apartments is their only option to it growth rates are fantastic. that is what growth looks like. instead of residence, there are tourists. >> this used to be desert. now there is a city here. it is a -- is tremendous. it is not at all like beijing or shanghai. this city is very spacious. >> it looks set to state budget stay that way. the gardners where the cleaners cannot afford an apartment here. it is not a place to live.

it is a city as an investment -- useless, but not worthless. >> real estate is serving a function in china, particularly empty realistic. it is a place for people to stash their cash, a place people have confidence will continue to have value. of course, that only continues as long as everybody agrees that is the case. >> if you think that is a big risk, you would be right, but the absurdity those on right outside of the city -- goes on on right outside of the city limits. in the middle of the desert there is a racing circuit. who cares if there are hardly any spectators? the government provided the land cheaply to a private company, which cannot make money but the track, but its agent is

satisfied. he can expect more of a lucrative government contracts. a race course as a write-off does not really matter. scratch my back, and i will scratch yours. it is all part of a major government plan. >> people used to believe you had to produce something to meet demand. here, we think differently. there is a chinese proverb that says you have to build a beautiful nest to attract a phoenix. we are building a magnificent nest. people will come at some point. >> outlandish? perhaps, but it was decreed and partly financed by the government. the nest has been lavishly set up. there is an upscale public library, but nobody to read the books. the city museum has fantastic architecture, but so far, no

exhibitions. the building is closed. this does not seem to bother anyone. all that is important is an expanding economy. >> the easiest way to generate growth is to build -- build lots of things, especially if there are loans readily available from state-owned banks, and over the past two years in particular, where growth was not coming from the global economy, local officials were encouraged to build stadiums, build roads, build museums -- build anything. >> unsustainable? of course. the obsession with growth is cast in bronze. this is the seat of the municipal government -- monumental buildings for officialdom. the city was planned for 1 million people, but it has only 1000 residents. the exact figures are not known. who will work -- move?

the city has hardly any jobs to offer. only a few businesses operate here. on paper, it looks great, and it looks like growth. that is something the one party state wants. >> if people are frustrated about corruption or different aspects of the way things are run here, the chinese government has said look at the rest of the world -- 0 or negative growth. china is growing at 9% or 10%. you are fortunate. by and large, that is an argument people have accepted. >> so, the construction continues. a financial center with no stock market or banks, mansions without occupants, luxury hotels, but no guests -- will the bubble burst? definitely. it is just a matter of time. >> and they will host the miss

world finals in 2012. the infrastructure it is certainly there. that is all the time we have for this week. thank you for watching and by- by. -- bye-bye. ♪