Mining operations in the coal-rich province of Tete, Mozambique, have displaced around 5,000 people.
The majority of the affected families rely on subsistence farming to survive. Many feel that the mining industry’s efforts to protect these vulnerable communities do not go far enough.
In many cases, the level of compensation received by families was insufficient to cover the family’s loss of livelihood. Community organizations are also concerned with the lack of transparency associated with these resettlements; although community-level consultations were held, many affected families were unable to participate because the meetings took place far from their homes.
Simão Sebastião, who works for the Association for Support and Legal Assistance (AAAJC), said that “the community is the voice of the voiceless”, as tensions in the region rose in 2018. Frustrated and disenfranchised, around two hundred citizens descended into the Moatize II coal mine on 4 October 2018 to protest the noise and dust pollution caused by dynamite explosions.
Source International reported that the noise and vibrations from mining activities are a cause for concern due to the structural vulnerability of houses in the area. Further to this, another big issue affecting the communities’ well-being is the high concentration of dust caused by heavy vehicle traffic from mining activities.
The communities of Nhantchere and Bagamoio, adjacent to the mine, are directly affected by the environmental impacts of coal mining activities; the air pollution is severely affecting the health of these nearby communities.
Amidst this scenario, community-based environmental monitoring in the region is emerging as a tool to reduce conflicts and improve citizen well-being by empowering community members and making them aware of their rights.
The AAAJC is one of the institutions currently promoting this participatory monitoring approach in Moatize and Marara regions. The association, based in Tete City, is helping communities receive fair financial compensation for resettlement and educating people on their rights.
Simão Sebastião said that the organization acts as a vital source of information for communities affected by mining activities. One of its responsibilities includes intermediation between government, multinational companies, civil society and the local media.
Legal experts through the Association for Support and Legal Assistance (AAAJC) meet with Marara district community members affected by coal mining as part of community empowerment in the Province of Tete, Mozambique. PHOTO/AAAJC/Simão Sebastião.
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