On Friday, December 20, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo announced that 17 Chinese men have been arrested on suspicion of illegal gold mining in the country. The Democratic Republic of Congo is also known as Congo (Kinshasa).
According to Reuters, during a press conference held in Bukavu, South Kivu province of the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities disclosed the detention of these 17 Chinese men. The individuals were seated in chairs without restraints and did not engage with the reporters.
Bernard Muhindo, the Minister of Finance and acting Minister of Mines in the province, stated that a government delegation carried out an unannounced visit to a mining site in Karhembo village on Thursday, leading to the arrest of these individuals.
Muhindo mentioned that the Chinese men failed to present any company documents or certificates. Approximately 60 Chinese individuals were present at the site, with officials detaining 17 men who appeared to be in charge, along with some people from the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Burundi.
The Chinese Embassy in Kinshasa did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. The Burundian Embassy expressed that they are still awaiting detailed information from their representative in Bukavu.
According to the article published by the Corporate Responsibility Resource Center on November 26 this year, under Congo (Kinshasa)’s mining law, foreigners are prohibited from engaging in artisanal mining. However, Chinese companies have circumvented this prohibition by collaborating with local cooperatives, avoiding federal taxes as well. The Congolese people and government are increasingly discontent with the illegal operations, environmental destruction, and violation of African miners’ rights by Chinese gold mining companies in the eastern region. The large-scale mining activities by Chinese companies have caused environmental damage, with toxic chemicals like cyanide and mercury contaminating the community’s water sources.
The article noted that the gold production in South Kivu province surged from 42 kilograms in 2022 to over 5,000 kilograms in 2023, approximately one-sixth of the country’s official output. However, the total gold exports from Congo (Kinshasa) are systematically underreported since several tons of gold transit through eastern neighboring countries, illicitly entering the global supply chain. Hundreds of foreign companies are mining gold in South Kivu province, with the majority being Chinese companies. Local authorities have expressed that these companies operate without permits, fail to declare profits, and often use armed guards to keep government officials and journalists at bay.