Angola will criminalize illegal mining activities, which currently have 1.3 million “garimpeiros” (illegal diamond prospectors), most of them foreigners, who work with about 300 large enterprises, a government source said.
The information was presented in Parliament by Angola’s Secretary of State for Mineral Resources, Yaniu Correia Vitor, who stressed that the illegal exploitation of strategic minerals has led to detrimental negative consequences for the environment, human life, public health and community livelihoods.
The government official who tabled the proposal for the Anti-Illegal Mining Act in the National Assembly also linked the practice to support for violent armed conflict, organized crime, terrorism and other activities.
“In addition to the losses that we have listed, during the illegal exploitation of strategic minerals, the state no longer receives income in the form of taxes. Solving the problem of illegal mining is not a secondary or irrelevant issue,” he said.
Janio Correia Vitor said that due to the scale that this phenomenon has assumed, “to the detriment of the normal functioning of the sector, the stability of the economic system and national security,” it is necessary to adopt “more effective” mechanisms to combat this practice.”
The Secretary of State estimates that there are about one million thirty thousand “garimpeiros” in the country, “many of them foreigners, and about 296 dredgers.” [máquinas de escavação e lavagem de minérios] large sizes also in an illegal situation.”
According to the official, the current legal types of mining crimes “do not satisfactorily cover all the phenomena that constitute illegal mining activities,” which justifies the creation of a special regime.
The proposed Anti-Illegal Mining Act seeks to “criminalize and strengthen” the fight against illegal mining activities, classification of crimes and purposes of penalties, establishing a criminal framework to effectively protect the legal assets in question.
The legal diploma, initiated by Angolan President João Lourenço, also aims to create mechanisms that lead to the declaration of the loss of tools, products and benefits of criminal activity with the aim of “making it impossible for criminals to carry out and maintain criminal practices.” “.
The legislative initiative criminalizes crimes related to the encouragement and assistance of illegal mining activities, installation, installation and initiation of illegal mining activities, transportation of mineral resources and equipment, falsification of a mining permit, fraudulently obtaining mining permits, and receiving financial assistance.
The proposed law provides for criminal penalties ranging from three months to eight years in prison and fines of about $4 million (3.6 million euros).
During the plenary discussion of the thesis, MPLA MP in power Joaquim José Mínguez argued that the strategy to combat illegal mining involves a multifaceted approach aimed at reducing and ultimately ending illegal activities. mining works.
Party of Social Renewal (PRS, opposition) MP Rui Malopa Miguel believes that illegal diamond exploration, especially in eastern Angola, is the result of the “vulnerability” of the populations and territories that own these resources.
Vasco Sangongo, a member of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA, the largest opposition party), considered the proposed law under discussion “synonymous with the legalization of murders and massacres in the diamond regions of Lundas” (Angolan province of Lunda Norte). and Lunda South, which own the majority of the country’s diamonds).
The proposed law was ultimately approved by a total of 90 votes to 0 against and 66 abstentions.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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