"Pollution of the Aruwimi River: Xiang Jiang Mining has resumed its mining operations, Ève Bazaïba's decision remains a dead letter"

4 February 2022

The Information and Support Network for NGOs in the DRC (RIAO-RDC), a society organisation, warns of the resumption of normal activities of Xiang Jiang Mining on the Aruwimi tributary in the Basoko territory ( Tshopo) the day after the decision of the Congolese government by the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Environment and Sustainable Development Ève.

"The territory of Basoko is totally invaded by Chinese companies. Minister Bazaïba supported us when she came. She cleared up the ambiguity. Her decision is to stop mining, which means no prospecting for minerals for Xiang Jiang Mining. But before her arrival, the company had stopped its activities because the pollution was so serious that the water of the river was all red. As soon as she returned, just the next day, they have resumed their activities. This is very serious", declared Jean François Mombia, Chairman of the Board of Directors of RIAO-RDC, during a press conference this Friday 4 February in Kinshasa.

According to him, Xiang Jiang Mining says it has obtained authorisation from the Congolese government to mine gold on the Aruwimi tributary for nearly 99 years.

“When the leaders of the local communities went to see the director of the Chinese company, he told them that the minister had come to give them the approval. Do you think that if we did not have the authorisation of the Congolese government, we would be here? “, added Jean-François Mombia.

During her mission in the Basoko territory, Ève Bazaïba, on behalf of the Congolese Government, ordered the systematic cessation of mining by Xiang Jiang Mining on the Aruwimi River and the compensation of the victims of the pollution.

The Chinese firm which has been mining gold for about 2 years in this part of the country had no mining license. So it was an illegal activity.