‘KILL MINERS’ ORDER CONDEMNED
…HH instructs army to ‘exterminate’ gold site trespassers
By Mast Reporter
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema must cut his holiday short and address the instruction to “exterminate” illegal miners in Mufumbwe District in North-western Province, People’s Pact Movement (PPM) presidential candidate Dr Fred M’membe has said.
And Zambia Army Commander Lieutenant General Geoffrey Zyeele says Hichilema has directed him to kill illegal miners to bring the activity to an end.
Gen Zyeele is captured in a video saying he has received clear directives from Hichilema to exterminate illegal miners in Mufumbwe.
But Dr M’membe described the instruction as frightening.
“Zambia Army Commander Lt Gen Geoffrey Zyeele has stated that directives from the Commander-in-Chief are ‘very straightforward; to exterminate illegal miners’… that ‘there’s no option available’. How can there be no option to such barbarism?” he wondered.
Dr M’membe said it was heartbreaking that Hichilema was behind the directive to kill desperate Zambians in Mufumbwe District.
“There are certainly alternatives to the extermination of desperate young people enduring harsh conditions in gold mining sites across Mufumbwe and Mpika, trying to earn a livelihood for themselves and their families,” he said.
Dr M’membe urged the government and Hichilema, in particular, to reflect on his directives to the army commander.
“If we believe their mining activities are illegal, the solution is not to exterminate and fumigate them like pests, but to regulate and formalise their operations. These are not lazy thieves. These are young people undertaking dangerous, difficult work to escape the devastating consequences of unemployment,” he said.
“Let us find ways to organise them and make their work safer, more efficient and orderly. Zambia needs increased gold production to boost our export earnings and reduce our dependence on borrowing from the IMF and other lenders. We need mass participation in mining, not the extermination of young people willing to work hard.”
Dr M’membe reminded Hichilema that the minerals belonged to the people of Zambia and it was only fair that a solution was found without shedding blood.
“Moreover, these minerals belong to the Zambian people. What is illegal about our youth trying to benefit from the natural resources God endowed their nation with? Don’t exterminate! Formalise, organise and empower! Live and let live!” he said.
And Zambia Lt Gen Zyeele says Hichilema has directed him to kill illegal miners to bring the activity to an end.
He is captured in a video saying he has received clear directives from Hichilema to exterminate illegal miners in Mufumbwe.
Addressing staff about the illegal mining in Mufumbwe, Lt Gen Zyeele said the directives from Hichilema were straightforward and clear.
“The directions from the Commander-in-Chief are very straightforward. To exterminate illegal miners. And we shall do that step by step. We don’t intend to use force. But obviously, when necessary that is our business. To use force,” he said.
Lt Gen Zyeele said he was aware that there would be consequences such as injuries and loss of life.
“And I do know there will be consequences in that direction such as injuries, loss of life. But there’s no option available. We’re also reminded of the impunity, the disobedience of law and order by the illegal miners themselves,” he said.
“We will not allow that impunity to continue, and it can never continue. The underlying assumptions with illegal mining is that it attracts illegal immigrants. And they’re also interested in illegal immigrants.”
Lt Gen Zyeele said there was friction in Mufumbwe and the military would not allow that to continue.
He said the operation would start this week, warning that the illegal miners were only given days to leave.
“Of course, there’s fog and friction in Mufumbe, where we have been for a while, and it’s starting this week. Probably we shall be using force to exterminate and fumigate all illegal miners. Of course, there’s a lot of coordination and interaction between ourselves and the Ministry of Mines,” Lt Gen Zyeele said.
He said he was waiting for a communication from the Ministry of Mines on the matter.
“Today I’m expecting a call from the Minister of Mines, or I will call him in order for us to coordinate. I seem to be pre-empting this because our next destination is Mpika. And that will be one of the piers for us to coordinate on what we do with Mpika,” he said.
“Obviously, the template of Mufumbe may be different from Mpika, but there will be similarities in the lines of operations, or in the concept of operations. I know that this nuisance has been with the Central Province for a long time, but I’m sure it is time for us to bring it to a dead end, because all of us are at the front of the consequences of illegal mining. And that is to say, illegal extraction of natural resources, which all of us are entitled to, protection of the environment, returning the strata of the soil community,” Lt Gen Zyeele said.
