The province of Lualaba, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has recently been the scene of violent demonstrations, following a latent malaise within the population. Indeed, artisanal diggers have been chased from the sites where they used to work to make way for Lebanese operators illegally exploiting the places.
Tensions finally erupted when gunmen injured a young woman while dispersing a protest by diggers. The most radical demonstrators then attacked machines and trucks, vehicles were set on fire, which led to the blocking of activities on the mining sites.
A delegation from the provincial government, led by the Minister of Mines, went there to calm things down. However, the crisis escalated with new violent incidents between diggers and industrial mining operators.
In this case, several questions arise as to the legality of mining in this area. Indeed, the sites concerned are the subject of industrial spoliation on the part of Lebanese operators who have been operating illegally in the sites of Kalakundi, pumping station and Sierra, for several months.
The mining company, holder of mining rights and paying its surface rights, complained on several occasions to the competent provincial and national authorities, in vain. Well-known Chinese factories in the provinces of Lualaba and Katanga are also accused of being the receivers of stolen minerals.
It is also common knowledge that these operations are organized under the guise of people claiming to be members of the presidential family. The military and civil authorities then allow them to benefit from total impunity.
The situation is therefore worrying and shows the limits of the authorities to enforce laws and mining rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Concrete measures should be taken to regulate this crucial sector for the development of the country and allow mining resources to be exploited in compliance with the laws.