Mining Investors Protect And Keep Our Environment Clean.
Recent reports of massive environmental degradation and violation of environment rights by foreign mining investors particularly the Chinese miners in the province should be condemned with the contempt it deserves.
Communities in mining areas like Bikita and Mashava have lamented massive land degradation by Chinese miners who dig trenches and holes without the courtesy of refilling them.
This has left the environment dilapidated which poses risks to the lives of villagers and their livestock.
There has also been massive destruction of arable land and pastures for livestock.
Recently a Human Rights Organization, the Bikita Land Institute of Development (BILD) filed a petition letter with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), demanding Environmental Impact Assessment for Sino Bikita Minerals’ lithium mine, accusing the Chinese owned entity of violating environmental and health rights.
BILD accuses the Chinese lithium expropriator of allegedly breaching environmental rights enshrined in the constitution and other legal provisions such as the Environment Management Act.
BILD further alleged that the mine has left unfilled trenches that have been filled with polluted water in the villages as a result of slime dam construction projects in the ward.
The water suckles into the Mungezi River the villagers only human and livestock source of water.
Pollution of water sources by the mining company has exposed humans and their domestic animals to health hazards.
An appeal has also been made to top government officials to ensure that the miners respect existing environmental laws including the constitution of Zimbabwe.
Government is also urged to stop treating its all-weather Chinese friends with kids’ gloves and hold them accountable for destroying the environment and natural resources which are our treasure for future generations.
Section 73 of the Zimbabwean Constitution which guarantees “the right to a clean environment and mandates the protection of the environment for present and future generations through reasonable legislative and other measures” has been grossly violated.
The institute also quoted violation of section 70 of Zimbabwe’s Environmental Management Act which prohibits the discharge of any waste into the environment by stating that “No person is allowed to discharge or dispose of any waste—whether domestic, commercial, or industrial—in a way that causes pollution”.
