Africa-Press – Angola. The governor of Lunda-Norte, Deolinda Vilarinho, assured, yesterday, to the population of the municipality of Lucapa, that she will clarify the concerns regarding the limitation of the circulation in supposedly diamond mining areas, to the detriment of subsistence agriculture.
The situation was presented in the form of a complaint by the traditional authorities, during a consultation meeting promoted by the provincial government, within the scope of interaction with citizens. Due to the complaints, the governor expressed her concern, but asked those present to keep their spirits up and count on the Government’s efforts to find out what is really happening, so that the most appropriate measures can be taken.
Deolinda Vilarinho explained clearly that the responsibility for granting licenses for the purchase and sale of diamonds belongs to the Special Corps for the Security of Strategic Minerals (CESME), but she assured that she will work to, in addition to knowing what is really going on, act on offenders.
He added that the Government’s actions are aimed at guaranteeing the improvement of the population’s living conditions.”We are working to improve the lives of the populations, creating social conditions, which include the supply of drinking water, supply of electricity, increase in classrooms, medical posts and other essential goods”, stressed the governor.
During the consultation meeting, traditional authorities pointed the finger at diamond mining companies, complaining that they are limiting the movement of people, harming agricultural practice.
Soba Zito Sozinho, from the Txingambo district, said that, in addition to preventing agricultural activity, most diamond operators in Lucapa do not undertake social responsibility commitments to the communities residing along the exploration areas.
The observance of this responsibility would have direct effects on the rehabilitation of roads, construction of school infrastructure, and housing for traditional authorities. Zito Sozinho asked the governor to create a commission that integrates the traditional authorities, representing the ten municipalities of Lunda-Norte, to deal with the matter with the diamond exploration companies.
Mayor Eugénio Sambinza said that foreign citizens, in an illegal migratory situation, are being used, in many cases, as labor in mining areas.
The diamond buying and selling houses, which had been closed during Operation Transparency, are resuming activities and, in many situations, serve as ” reception committees for foreign citizens”, who enter the national territory illegally, via of the land border.
Eugénio Sambinza defended the reinforcement of the State’s authority in Lucapa, through the intervention of the Defense and Security Bodies, with a view to combating illegal immigration, extraction and illicit trafficking of diamonds, with the return of miners.
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