Government must cancel mining in the lower Zambezi, JCTR has said.



Jesuit Center for Theological Reflection (JCTR) in Solwezi district have called on government to cancer the mining operations in the lower Zambezi national park.

Speaking at joint media briefing held yesterday at bishop potani guest house, Jesuit center for theological reflection (JCTR)  programme  officer Micomyza Dieudonn’e said  his organization has noted with sadness that the high court  of Zambia  has  ruled  that the controversial  kangaluwi  open –cast  copper mine project  must go ahead  in the heart  of the lower  Zambezi  river.

Mr  Dieudonne’ says  the risk  of pollution  and collateral  damage  to the environment is high  as is the impact  the mine will  have on the  wildlife in the area.
He says JCTR is concerned with the type of development in  the lower  Zambezi  national  park  as it is not  sustainable  and a danger to the  Eco-system , biodiversity  and the entire  environmental well-being.

''the main  environmental  problems  associated  with mines  in Zambia are pollution  of air , soil  and water , geotechnical  issues  and land  degradation'' Mr  Dieudonne

''with these  limited  benefits  from the mining sector , Zambia  is expected  to transform  its economy from  over-reliance  on the  mining  to more sustainable  sectors  such as  tourism'' he added.

Mr Dieudonne’e  said  despite  the effects  of climate change  being evident  and affecting  the livelihood  of citizens  with  devastating  impact  on the national economy , incidence of environmental  damage  have continued to rise.

He further says allowing mining activities to commerce in such a habitat, the country risk compromising the rich ecosystem which is a home to a variety fauna and flora.

Dieudonne’e wonders why the high court went ahead to allow the mining operations in the lower Zambezi when in 2013 the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) rejected the application  by Mwembeshi  resources  limited to mine in the lower Zambezi national park

He has appealed to government of Zambia to immediately cancel the mining licenses in the lower Zambezi national park  as it is a common  home  and the future inheritance  of the generations to come.

''additionally ,the decision by the court now casts  uncertainty on the tourism  industry  and the small-scale  entrepreneurs  in the  national  park  as  Mwembeshi  Resources  Limited  would go ahead with its large-scale  mining  activities  in the centre  of the park''  Mr  Dieudonne said.
Mr  Dieudonne there is need  to revise  and strengthen  the environmental  management  act  so as to  care  and protect   the environment  for such occurrences in future.

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