DRC Mines Minister Reverses Permit Forfeiture Orders for Boss Mining and COMIDE
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the scene of significant developments in the mining sector, with the cancellation by the Minister of Mines of the orders forfeiting the mining permits of the companies Boss Mining and COMIDE, both members of the ERG group.
JUSTICIA Asbl, an organization focused on the promotion and protection of human rights and development in the DRC, welcomes these decisions.
These forfeiture orders had previously raised concerns among civil society organizations as well as voices within local communities. They had been criticized for their alleged lack of legal basis and the numerous irregularities which tainted them.
Maître Timothée MBUYA, President of JUSTICIA Asbl, commented on this development by emphasizing that “the cancellation of these decrees is proof that the government can listen to the population and civil society by prioritizing community interest over to the detriment of selfish personal interests and politically exposed people seeking personal gain.”
The organization also took this opportunity to call for the lifting of the suspension of activities of the mining company Boss Mining, in place since the environmental disasters that occurred in Kakanda in March 2023.
This suspension, which has already been extended once , deeply affects the company’s workers as well as local communities, threatening to trigger a socio-economic crisis in the region.
JUSTICIA Asbl encourages the Congolese government, Boss Mining and local communities to collaborate to revive the economy of Kakanda through responsible mining that complies with environmental standards.
The organization also urged the government to take steps to remove the military, ineligible police officers, mining cooperatives and their accomplices from the mining permits of Boss Mining, COMIDE and other mining companies.
Finally, JUSTICIA Asbl hopes that the visit of the Head of State to the provinces of Lualaba and Haut Katanga will make it possible to put in place measures aimed at preventing the anarchic and fraudulent exploitation of minerals belonging to mining concessionaires.
With the DRC having signed up to the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, there is an opportunity for tripartite dialogue aimed at improving the human rights and security situation in mining sites and surrounding communities.
As facilitator of the working group on these principles, JUSTICIA Asbl is committed to supporting all stakeholders for harmonious development based on the responsible exploitation of natural resources.
