19 April, 2008

Ilyasa Baa

Corruption: The Root Cause of Illegal Mining - Amnesty Volunteer Reveals

According to a volunteer of the Amnesty International in Sierra Leone, Jillian E. Lewis, poverty and corruption are the main reasons for illegal mineral mining in Sierra Leone.

In an interview with Sierra Express the Canadian Human Rights Volunteer revealed that poverty and corruption should be the challenge of government and illegal mining put to an end in Sierra Leone.  She advised the Ministry of Mineral Resources to start thinking of increasing salaries and expand on Mines Monitoring Officers.

Ms. Lewis expressed concern about allegations that government officials are involved in illegal mining practices.  She also called on the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) to keenly monitor illegal mining in the country.  She said that some mining companies are violating the rights of most communities by taking over the lands and do their mining. The worst of it is when these mining companies grab lands of secret societies.  According to her, there is need for sensitization and advocacy in mining communities for reclamation of lands and ensuring safety and the protection of communities.  She added that it is more difficult to find diamonds in alluvial deposits today than it was twenty years ago.  She said “it is worrying to me that eventually industrial mining will overtake alluvial mining in terms of economic viability.”

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