The province of Lualaba, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has recently been the scene of violent demonstrations. The reasons for this unease stem from a power struggle at some mining sites. Indeed, Lebanese operators would have illegally taken possession of these sites to the detriment of the local populations, in particular the community of artisanal diggers. This industrial spoliation is supported by armed men, violently opposing the demonstrators. During the latest violence, a young woman was shot and wounded.
The mining site where the violence took place is part of a mining perimeter known to the mining cadastre, under Exploitation License No. 591, the holder of which is the mining company Swanmines. This denounces large-scale spoliation and collusion with the military and civil authorities. The complaints she lodged with the latter to receive assistance were never followed by concrete actions.
Testimonies reveal that these illegal mining operations are organized under the cover of members of the presidential family, allowing them to benefit from total impunity. The mining company Swanmines is thus unable to assert its rights and obtain justice from the competent authorities.
The provincial government intervened to try to calm things down and promised the diggers that they could work in certain areas of the sites, in agreement with the Lebanese operators. However, this government intervention does not solve the problem of spoliation, the scale of which worries the victims. Justice should initiate legal action, but the despoiling operators are so protected that they oppose any action by the prosecution on the ground.
In short, the province of Lualaba is the scene of a conflict of interests between the local populations, the mining company Swanmines and illegal operators of Lebanese origin. The competent authorities are struggling to deal with this issue with firmness, even though it may have dangerous repercussions on the safety of local populations.