2009

A new dossier is available on the Fatal Transactions website: "Uranium Mining in Africa". The dossier describes the ins and outs of uranium mining and milling in Africa as well as the potential impact of uranium mining. In addition it discusses the links with the European Union and what the EU can do to promote uranium sustainable mining.

In a press release issued on November 6th, Fatal Transactions member BICC expresses its great concern whether or not the Kimberley Process should continue to exist now it fails to act in Zimbabwe.

Failure to suspend Zimbabwe from blood diamond scheme undermines efforts to end abuses and clean up international trade

Farai Maguwu, director of the Centre for Research and Development (CRD) from Zimbabwe, is in Europe. He is here to lobby, together with other civil society organisations, for a suspension of Zimbabwe from the Kimberley Process.

After almost one month in jail, Golden Misabiko, President of the African Association for the Protection of Human Rights in Katanga province (ASADHO/Katanga), has been released on bail on 20 August.

Fatal Transactions member IPIS has published a new report titled "Africa's Natural Resources in a Global Context". The report, which concentrates on non-renewable natural resources, aims to disentangle some of the processes that explain the paradox between Africa’s natural wealth and its relatively limited level of economic development.

The Review Mission of the Kimberley Process (KP) which visited Zimbabwe in June, has recommended to suspend Zimbabwe from the KP and stop Zimbabwean diamonds entering the world market. Civil society organisations, including Fatal Transactions, have been calling for suspension of Zimbabwe since December last year when severe human rights abuses and killings were reported at the diamond mines in Chiadzwa. The main perpetrators of this violence being the Zimbabwean army and police forces themselves.

Golden Misabiko, Chair of the African Association for the Protection of Human Rights (ASADHO) in Katanga, was arrested on 24 July and remains in custody in Lubumbashi. Timothée Mbuya, Vice-Chair of ASADHO/Katanga, was also arrested on 24 July but subsequently released on the same day. Niza calls for the immediate release of Golden Misabiko and asks for all charges against him to be dropped. Niza urges the Congolese government to ensure the free participation of civil society in debates on the management of Congo's mineral resources and to safeguard the security of transparency advocates.

This new IPIS publication examines the impact of the global financial crisis on the mining sector in Katanga, the southeast province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As far as the industrial mining sector is concerned, it is shown that the crisis exacerbated the uncertainty of mining companies that were waiting for the results of the review of the mining contracts and that were often in the middle of starting up or expanding their activities in Katanga.