BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — The Central African Republic’s government has suspended the operations of a Chinese mining company, accusing it of collaborating with armed militias, according to a government decree issued Saturday.
The Ministry of Mines accused Daqing SARL, a Chinese gold and diamond mining company, of “intelligence with armed groups, illegal exploitation, illegal introduction of foreign subjects into mining areas, non-payment of taxes, and lack of activity reports,” the decree stated.
Daqing SARL operated in Mingala, a town in the south of the Central African Republic plagued by conflict between the country’s armed forces and the Coalition of Patriots for Change, an anti-government armed group.
The Central African Republic has been embroiled in conflict since 2013 when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power, forcing President Francois Bozize from office. Mostly Christian militias subsequently fought back.
A 2019 peace deal only partially reduced the violence, and six of the 14 armed groups that signed the agreement later withdrew. The Coalition of Patriots for Change was founded in 2020 in the wake of the agreement’s collapse.
Despite its vast mineral wealth, including gold and diamonds, the Central African Republic remains one of the world’s poorest countries. Rebel groups have operated with impunity over the past decade, hindering mining exploration by foreign companies.
Many of the mining operations in the country are Chinese-run and have faced significant security challenges. Last month, four workers were killed at a Chinese-run gold mine during an attack blamed on the Coalition of Patriots for Change. Last year, nine Chinese nationals were killed at another gold mine in the Central African Republic, with the same rebel alliance held responsible. In 2020, two Chinese nationals died when local residents led an uprising against a Chinese-operated mine in the south of the country.
