The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) recently spearheaded solidarity walk marches in Sese, Shurugwi, Marange and Penhalonga to spotlight the negative impacts of mining activities occurring in each of their communities.
Shurugwi, Penhalonga and Sese communities are home to several negative impacts from the mining of gold, diamonds and other minerals. Many reports of environmental degradation, pollution, displacement, violence and social disarticulation have been made in these areas.
In Shurugwi, Dzikamidzi village is one of the many villages facing these negative impacts of mining and is currently facing imminent displacement to make way for Anglo American’s Unki Mine’s expansion operation.
On the other hand, the Penhalonga community is reeling under serious environmental degradation and water pollution from surface operations of Betterbrands company that is mining gold at the vast Redwing mine.
Before the solidarity walks, CNRG held a strategy meeting in Mutare where community members from the affected areas were taken through capacity-building sessions to formulate and clarify the necessary steps they could take back home in fighting against environmental injustices.
During the meeting in Mutare, the community members were made to map out allies and pillars of resistance in their areas. They also participated in formulating a media strategy campaign to raise awareness of their plight.
CNRG official Rachel Jambo said the solidarity walks in various places were successful and mapped advocacy activities to be conducted in the near future such as petitioning Parliament after the festive season.
“CNRG facilitated a community-led campaign in each of these areas (Sese, Shurungwi, Penhalonga) during which the communities led safe and peaceful walks. These walks will be followed up by letters addressed to different offices which include EMA (Environmental Management Agency) and local councils outlining the demands of the communities as well as a petition to Parliament in 2024,” she said.
Jambo said these actions will be in line with Section 13 (2) of the Constitution which outlines that communities are supposed to benefit from the extraction of resources in their community and Section 72 which calls for environmental protection.
She decried that contrary to these provisions of the Constitution, communities are still not benefiting from natural resources in their areas which include lithium, gold and diamonds.
“Many mining projects are not bringing any substantial benefits to the local communities. The environment is being polluted, cases of human rights abuses are common, labour laws are not being adhered to and consent from the community is not being obtained prior to projects starting. The culmination of these issues is manifestation of the resource curse throughout Zimbabwe.
“It is against this background that CNRG hosted community representatives from Shurugwi, Sese, Marange and Penhalonga for a campaign planning meeting in November 2023,” said Jambo.