Chinese firm granted mining rights despite devastating impact warnings
By Alex Bell
SW Radio Africa
30 May 2013
A Chinese firm that was granted a special permit to begin mining activities
in the Gwayi Conservation area is set to go ahead with its major development
plans, despite warnings of the devastating impact such activities will have
there.
The warnings have been made predominately by conservation groups ever since
news of the mining plans surfaced. The firm, a joint venture between the
Chinese and a Zimbabwean company, was granted special permission by Robert
Mugabe in 2011 to undertake a major project, including coal mining, methane
gas extraction and thermal power generation.
The firm, China-Africa Sunlight Energy, is run by retired army Colonel
Charles Mugari, and it is suspected that his military links have seen the
project being given the all clear. Mugari has insisted that he has done
everything legitimately and has followed the proper environmental assessment
procedures. But there are serious questions being asked about an
Environmental Impact Assessment report that approved the firm’s plans.
Stakeholders in the Gwayi area have said they have been side-lined from the
assessment process and accused Environment Guardian Services (EGS), which
did the assessment, of dishonesty in giving the project the thumbs up.
A copy of this assessment, seen by SW Radio Africa, raises many of the same
concerns voiced by conservation groups, pointing to negative effects like
river siltation, pollution, erosion, community displacement and even crime
and prostitution. The assessment states that while it is “naïve to imagine
that developments of this nature cannot degrade the environment, what is
important is that stakeholders in the situation should work together for a
win – win situation.”
Johnny Rodrigues, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, said
this week that he doubts the validity of this assessment and called for an
independent, professional one to be conducted. Rodrigues told SW Radio
Africa that from the start the process has been suspicious, and there are
grave concerns about the future of the conservation area.
“Normally when projects like are done it should be publicised and a proper
assessment done. The whole deal has been so secretly done. There are a lot
of things hushed up,” Rodrigues said.
He explained that the firm has already started fulfilling its plans, saying
“the actual projects are taking place.” He said the destruction is already
under way, despite the assessment only being done in recent months.
“We should be preserving these areas and try and bring tourism in because
there is more money in tourism in the long term, because what happens when
you take the minerals out? Nothing is being explained,” Rodrigues said.
Meanwhile, there is concern about illegal hunting taking place in
neighbouring Hwange National Park, where gunshots are still being heard by
tourists. The Park is home to the Presidential Elephant Herd and is meant to
be protected from hunting.
Rodrigues said that the mining projects being dished out in the conservation
areas threatened the safety of these areas. He speculated that the illegal
hunting might be linked to the mining activities, in an effort to clear the
area of animals.
See China Africa Sunlight Energy (Gwayi) – Press presentation –
http://www.swradioafrica.com/Documents/China%20Africa%20Sunlight%20Energy.pdf