Illegal Mining Hurts Local Communities: Activists

By Simon Deng

The chairperson of the Civil Society Coalition on National Resources and Executive Director of the Upper Nile Youth Development Association, Charles Judo Onak, has urged the government to take control of illegal gold mining for the benefit of local communities.

“Today, we are launching a report on illicit mining and the risks associated with revenue collection in South Sudan. Our primary goal is to enhance transparency and accountability in the management of natural resources,” said Onak during the report’s launch on Friday.

“There is a need for the government to expand mining opportunities for citizens, strengthen transparency and sustainability in the sector, and ensure that companies not contributing to the development of communities are not allowed to operate,” he said.

Onak revealed that a report released in 2019 on illicit gold mining showed South Sudan lost 47 million US dollars, while a report released in 2020 indicated a loss of 110 million U.S. dollars.

“We are partners in progress. What we are trying to propose is a concern. We need to ensure that the government takes control in general and that any licence should go through the right processes,” he said.

Yoasa Metatia, a geologist at the Ministry of Mining, said  that the government is implementing measures to regulate gold trading and mining by setting standards and adding value to enhance the gold business.

“There is a real need to form cooperative societies for mining activities and also mineral trading centres where gold can be bought at affordable prices. Gold dealing is a lucrative business, so the government is planning to establish coordination offices in areas known for gold mining, which is the best way to address challenges,” said Metatia.

Boboya James, the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Social Policy and Research, urged the government to provide technical support for artisanal and small-scale gold miners and to scale up geological training to improve safety and nationwide productivity.

“There has been a lot of money generated by gold mining, and this money is not entering the national budget. Our assessment indicated that in one particular year, the three counties of Budi, Kapoeta South, and Kapoeta East generated over 50 million dollars that did not enter the national budget,” said James.

The Civil Society Coalition on Natural Resources, a combination of 55 member organisations, with support from Norwegian People’s Aid, conducted a study on illicit gold mining and revenue collection risks in Budi, Kapoeta South, and Kapoeta East counties of Eastern Equatoria State.