university of antwerp what’s in it for us? contentious encounters between mining companies and...

University of Antwerp

What’s in it for us? Contentious encounters

between mining companies and local communities in

South-Kivu , DRC

Sara Geenen, PhD studentSara.geenen@ua.ac.be

Empirical study of the contentious

encounters between a community

(farmers, miners, elites …) and a

multinational company (Banro Corp.)

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Community development challenges

University of Antwerp

Presentation based on

• “Disputed access to the gold sites in Luhwindja, eastern DRC”– with Klara Claessens, IOB– Theory of access (Ribot & Peluso)/ legal pluralism– Analysis of mechanisms to gain, maintain and control access

used by various actors

• “Land grabbing by mining companies, local contentions and state reconfiguration in South-Kivu, DRC”– With Jana Hönke, FUBerlin– Book on land grabbing: focus on impact on communities and

positioning of local elites– Argument: local land grabs and struggles around it relate to

broader processes of state reconfiguration

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University of Antwerp

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OUTLINE

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE STUDY

2. CONTENTIOUS ENCOUNTERS

3. DISLOCATION AND REINTEGRATION OF THE MINERS

4. RESETTLEMENT AND COMPENSATION OF THE POPULATION

5. CHALLENGES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

University of Antwerp

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE-STUDY

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DR Congo

Industrial exploitation

University of Antwerp

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE-STUDY

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Decline of industrial production 1980s-90s

University of Antwerp

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE-STUDY

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University of Antwerp

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE-STUDY

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University of Antwerp

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE-STUDY

•2002 Mining Law

– Industrial exploration/ exploitation permits

– Small-scale exploration/ exploitation permits

– Artisanal: by miner’s cooperatives in ‘Artisanal Exploitation Zones’

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South-Kivu

University of Antwerp

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE-STUDY

•Reality…

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South-Kivu

University of Antwerp

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE-STUDY

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South-Kivu

Twangiza/ Luhwindja

University of Antwerp

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE-STUDY

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Permis

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2. CONTENTIOUS ENCOUNTERS

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Resistance

2005… Installation of Banro

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2. CONTENTIOUS ENCOUNTERS

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• Politicization

• Conflict within the royal family

• Position of local elites• Reconfiguration of state

• Negotiations

• Community Forum• Agreements• Representation

University of Antwerp

3. DISLOCATION AND REINTEGRATION OF THE MINERS

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University of Antwerp

3. DISLOCATION AND REINTEGRATION OF THE MINERS

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University of Antwerp

3. DISLOCATION AND REINTEGRATION OF THE MINERS

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* 6000-8000 miners

* 400 received training from 4 local NGOs contracted by Banro

* 800 hired as day labourers ($4/day), laid off mid-2011

* hundreds of miners reoccupied sites downhill from Mbwega (factory)

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4. RESETTLEMENT AND COMPENSATION OF THE POPULATION

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Resettlement site: Cinjira

University of Antwerp

4. RESETTLEMENT AND COMPENSATION OF THE POPULATION

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Compensation: issues

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5. CHALLENGES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

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University of Antwerp

5. CHALLENGES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

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THANK YOU