Chinese mining operation in Mozambique threatens coastal village
Time:Mon, 02 Apr 2018 03:48:00 +0800
keywords :
Amnesty International revealed in a new report that an irresponsible Chinese mining operation in Mozambique has put an entire coastal village of more than a thousand people at serious risk of being washed into the Indian Ocean. Mr Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's Regional Director of for Southern Africa said that “The devastating flooding in 2015 should have been the catalyst for the Mozambican authorities to address Haiyu’s activities by implementing proper regulation.”
Mr Muchena said that “Their inaction has left the people of Nagonha at the mercy of a company that puts the pursuit of profit ahead of people’s lives. Left unchecked, Haiyu’s mining operations pose a grave danger of further catastrophic flooding that could wipe Nagonha off the map.”
On top of the 48 houses destroyed by the flooding in 2015, local government authorities also recorded 173 more as partially destroyed. Local elders and authorities who had lived in Nagonha for more than 70 years told Amnesty International that they had no record of such floods occurring previously.
Haiyu’s mining operations likely significantly contributed to devastating flooding.
Based on detailed analysis of satellite images, testimony from Naghona residents and evidence from environmental experts, the report shows how the environmental impact of Haiyu’s mining operations likely contributed to the 2015 flooding.
Comparison of satellite images of the area between December 2010 and October 2014 show the build-up of mining-related sand deposits around Nagonha and the gradual change in the natural flow of water. The satellite images show that by October 2014, approximately 280,000 square meters of wetland north of the village were covered by the sand and that the channel connecting the lagoons west and north of the village to the sea had been completely blocked.
All of the available evidence strongly suggests that Haiyu’s mining activities and in particular the way it deposited sand across the landscape placed the coastal village at heightened risk of flooding and likely contributed significantly to the 2015 flood.
This analysis corresponds with the testimony gathered from Nagonha village residents, as well as with the opinions of independent environmental experts who confirmed that Haiyu’s mining operations significantly increased the risk of flooding.
The community, which is heavily reliant on fishing, has also lost vital natural resources provided by local wetlands, including drinking water, medicinal plants, lagoons for fishing, wild fruits, traditional medicines and firewood.
Amnesty International found that Haiyu did not conduct a proper environmental impact assessment or consult with the community prior to establishing its business, despite local legislation requiring it to do so.
Mr Muchena said that “We should be compensated for our losses”
Amnesty International interviewed 35 residents affected by the 2015 flooding who lost their personal belongings and livelihoods.
