In rallying cry for unity, action and solidarity the premier regional mining Indaba led by civic society, faith leaders and community activists- stakeholders are highlighting the importance of collaboration.
By Staff Correspondent
The 16th edition of the Alternative Mining Indaba (AMI) kicked off Monday 3 February in Cape Town, highlighting the critical need for solidarity among communities impacted by the extractive industry.
The annual conference which brings together stakeholders to discuss and debate the impact of mining on the environment and communities, is a counter to the traditional industry led annual mining indaba.
AMI provides ‘a global safe space for stakeholders to discuss, debate, highlights and provide solidarity for those impacted and affected by extractives, especially mining.’
In the face of rising conflict fueled by the extractive industry, surge in structural violence, director of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) Farai Maguwu, called for solidarity communities and stakeholders advocating for good governance in the mining sector.
Maguwu, made these remarks as a panelist at the opening ceremony, where he stated that structural violence is festering in the natural resources sector.
He cited an example of the Marange community which lost control of their land for diamond mining, now designated as a ‘protected area’ – but this protection only serves to shield diamonds from the local population, not to safeguard their well-being.
Meanwhile, global governance mechanisms enable the exploitation of African resources, disguising ‘conflict minerals’ to make them palatable for consumption in the Global North, stated Maguwu.
“We have witnessed the gun violence the actual shooting of people because of minerals beneath them,” he said.
Adding, “We discovered another form of violence. That is killing more people than gun violence. It is called the structural violence. Violence. Where a whole community dies without an actor that you can see who is shooting people. But they’re drinking water that is laced with poison.”
Maguwu lamented the paradox that the poorest people in Africa often live in areas rich in mineral resources, echoing the “resource curse” phenomenon in the era of critical minerals.
“So, we begin to look at where the lithium is coming from the same problems we have dealt with since the early 2000s. Land grabbing, water grabbing, violence and more importantly production of poverty.
“The poorest of the poor in Africa, you find them in areas endowed with mineral resources, the paradox of plenty, the resource case.”
Reverend Suzanne Matale, a faith leader and pioneer of the AMI platform, called on the strengthening of regional collaboration and policies like the African Mining Vision (AMV) which enunciates beneficial exploitation of natural resources.
She said in a world dominated by corporate interests, AMI stands as a beacon of critique and resistance, with a mission to scrutinize the unchecked power of corporations and hold them accountable for their actions.
“We are the alternative. Which means that we look critically at corporate power. The advocacy that you’re doing makes a decision for hope. That’s why I’m insisting never give up,” said Matale.
So, we those years applauded the action of the AU, and I hope they have followed up, on the crafting of the African mining vision. I don’t know where they are now, but I hope that we can carry on with that.
According to a representative of a global movement tackling inequality and poverty, “the sentiments and presentations at this platform are crucial in tackling the everyday challenges faced by marginalized communities.”
Veronica Zano with Oxfam stated that the exploitative and discriminatory models used in mineral extraction across Africa have perpetuated centuries-old injustices and poverty.
She said despite efforts to create platforms for change, civil society organizations have fallen short in ensuring that these forums truly represent the voices and concerns of African communities.
Some of the models that are being used in terms of extraction of minerals. And which we find them mostly to be exploitative. Discriminatory and perpetuating the injustice and the poverty that he has riddled the African continent for centuries.
“As civil society, as international local organizations, we have not really done justice in terms of ensuring that we make sure that this platform becomes the real essence and the real voice in the platform it was meant to be.
“So we do not speak on behalf yes we stand in solidarity and we collaborate with and we stand in solidarity with the communities but that does not make us the mouthpiece of the communities. That’s why we as a civil society, we work and try to empower communities,” she said.
These sentiments were also echoed by Bishop Nelson Kisare Chairman of Interfaith, Tanzania. He said as faith leaders noting the significant gap exists between reality and expectations, emphasizing their role is to continue advocating for justice for all.
“The issue of education and involvement including the grassroots level is very important.
“Our role as faith leaders. Is to continue to advocate for…. development which is people-centered the mining the mining the people who are coming for investment from most of the country, from outside Africa for investment in Africa. They’re looking for profit,” said Bishop Kisare.
Professor Patrick Bond of the University of Johannesburg called for increased advocacy for reparations to reduce dependency upon imperialist forces that derail the struggle for emancipation.
He said advocacy initiatives must recognize wealth depletion the emissions associated with the smelting and deep mining and the serious need for transformative action which challenges the status quo.
“…But I do think we can’t lose the word reparations from our vocabulary when there’s unequal ecological exchanges. And now unequal ecological exchange those voices I have one word. We all need to keep reminding, reparations,” said Proff Bond.
As local communities remain vulnerable to exploitation by government and mining companies due to a lack of awareness about the mineral value chain, Maguwu emphasizing the need for education and empowerment.
He said through collaboration CNRG was accelerating implementation of such capacity building initiatives like eco-feminism and activist training programs to invest knowledge in communities.
“I think a lot of our communities, they lack consciousness. They don’t understand what’s going around the world. They do not understand the mineral value chain. So, they take the lies that come with government and mining companies hook line and sinker.
“At CNRG we make it our policy that when our allies are holding like a school of ecology we send representatives. So, let’s take advantage of those spaces and build the capacity of our communities so the exercise agency,” said Maguwu.