Mining: A Treasure or a Curse?
We frequently read articles that aim to inform the public about the quality and amount of wealth gained through mining. Bilateral relations and MOUs are inked, and press conferences are held. When you see the handshakes and smiles of government officials, one may picture the eradication of extreme poverty and the arrival of the Disney lifestyle. However, the hourly news and what we see on large screens daily are very different from what is happening on the ground.
Investor Negligence Around Human Safety and Healthy Living.
I should be commended where credit is due, not punished for this. Mozambique, Malawi, Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other nations still categorized as “developing countries” are among the African countries where I have been examining mining practices. Communities are left wanting, and this is even worse in nations that boast of independence and total freedom. The underprivileged peasants should not lose hope as soon as earth-moving machinery passes through their villages.
As shafts are opened, extractions are occurring. The offer of work to young boys and girls is a hope shared by all those in the backseat of civilization. Every parent is happy, but the results are surprising. Without considering the downstream dependencies, some investors even go so far as to redirect rivers rather than burying pipes that siphon water to the mines.
Every day, mountains vanish without a trace, and anyone who dares to question them faces the possibility of being imprisoned. Remember that open shafts are left when minerals are depleted, and no one is concerned about the welfare of the livestock or wildlife. These regions serve as grazing grounds for animals. The same rivers that people use to wash their clothes, get drinking water, and wash their dishes are tainted with pollutants like mercury. The ramifications will become apparent later, when it is too late, even though the repercussions may not be seen today. Surprisingly, there are environmentalists and health officers in these mining sites, but none of them ask questions or attempt to halt the operations until appropriate mining structures and safety and health regulations are followed. If I’m not mistaken, most countries attend the annual climate change conferences, and the majority of the investor nations appear to be very concerned even though they are the ones destroying the environment and disregarding the welfare of the people and the environment in the areas where they conduct business, particularly in Africa. Simply put, governments should enforce tight regulations to ensure that health and safety protocols are followed before mining operations. Currently, mining operations are making poverty worse rather than permanently eradicating it.
Mining and Underdevelopment
Most investment businesses neglect and even destroy what was there, even though there should be testimony of progress to offer after mining, some corporate social duties to list, and even responsiveness. Good road networks existed before these investors took over some areas, but they destroyed them with large machinery, and locals now demand the roads to be repaired or even improved. The majority of the roads have large potholes, and some are impassable due to inadequate drainage systems, particularly during rainy seasons.
Some companies make empty promises to construct clinics, schools, and other facilities through opinion leaders. Roads are a story for another day, perhaps an area of promises made during campaigns to retain their seats in parliament, and people are on their own. Government officials don’t appear to care or follow up anymore because they usually utilize helicopters to get to these regions not roads.
Mining and Abuse
While some investor corporations conceal their tax payments as though they were unaware of them in the first place, others offer salaries or wages that are significantly less than what is specified in the contract. Anyone who questions the motivation will either be severely assaulted or fired from their position without pay. Videos that have gone viral on social media platforms show that miners can go months without getting paid while still being forced to report to work every day.
When the perpetrator learns that young girls have been raped and impregnated, he may choose to buy off the family members to not report the incidents. Some may even vanish and flee their obligations.
Artisanal Mining and Murder
Foreign investors cannot assist, of course, but local miners who were subsequently legalized by some governments from illegal miners to artisanal miners have turned out to be more lethal than foreign miners. Death is also used to settle some tribal disputes and scores. Many unreported murders occur every day in those jungles, and individuals there tend to place a higher value on money than on human life. People will primarily be fighting for control of regions that are known to be rich in minerals, such as diamonds and gold. It is also publicly known that some people won’t spend a day in detention after committing such crimes, which supports the claims that some Mafias are supported or financed by dishonest government officials who even went so far as to buy ammunition and distribute it to the miners.
In those mining areas, the government should always maintain order and make sure that no officials are bought off to overlook such situations. Because some law enforcement officers get busted alongside the Mafias when severe operations are carried out unexpectedly by other cops without the knowledge of those on the ground. Therefore, the government should constantly keep an eye on certain places and install tools that guarantee effective crime prevention.
Can an African investor go to Europe or Asia and contaminate rivers, underpay, abuse, and rape, and survive a second without apprehension or deportation, or even a death sentence? If not why do they get away with doing this to us?
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