Moki Kindzeka

Civilians accuse miners of destroying the environment and taking away their resources, while communities remain very poor and underdeveloped without basic infrastructure. 

 
Civilians in Betare Oya, village in Eastern Cameroon near the border with the Central African Republic shout that all mining companies, especially those owned by Chinese should leave their locality immediately.

Cameroonian government officials say more than 300 Chinese miners work in the area and only about a hundred have authorisations to carry out mining activities.

The central African states military says it deployed several hundred troops to stop locals who are vandalizing equipment and even beating miners. Scores of miners have fled for safety to neighbouring towns the government says.

Jean Paul Ngeunga is a traditional ruler in Betare Oya and says consultations are underway with locals.

“We are pleading with civilians to stop the destruction of property because the government of Cameroon and President Paul Biya are already aware of the ordeals civilians in villages where gold mines are found are going through,” Ngeunga said.

--SABC/ChannelAfrica--