Artisanal mining in Mozambique is a complex reality that involves thousands of citizens, especially young people, who turn to this activity as a strategy to mitigate the serious shortage of formal jobs and the limited supply of economic opportunities. In provinces such as Manica and Cabo Delgado, the abundance of mineral resources starkly contrasts with the persistent poverty of local communities, making mining a frequently used alternative means of survival that is often marked by precarious and unsafe conditions.
This phenomenon has proven to be particularly tragic, as evidenced by the frequent collapses of illegal mines, which in Man- ica alone have caused at least twenty deaths since the beginning of the year. At the same time, repression against miners has intensified, with episodes such as the recent shooting of two artisanal miners by security forces at the Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) concession in Cabo Delgado.
The Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) is deeply concerned about the way in which artisanal mining has been managed in Mozambique, in a context that highlights a cyclical pattern of human rights violations against local communities.
These communities are often criminalised for seeking access to resources found in their territories, in a dynamic that reflects both the State’s negligence in regulating and protecting these workers and the corporate authoritarianism that predominates in the extractive sector.
CDD warns that the lack of a coordinated response that promotes sustain- able development and social inclusion of the affected populations exacerbates inequalities and fuels social tensions, with profound nega- tive impacts on social stability and cohesion.
