Yakani calls for gold mining reforms to prevent more killings

A civil society leader, Edmund Yakani, has urged the government to take urgent steps to formalize the gold mining sector to prevent further loss of life, following an attack at a mining site that killed dozens over the weekend.

Yakani, who heads the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, condemned the killing of civilians by unidentified gunmen in Kare-Nare area, also known as Khor-Kaltan in Kulipapa Boma, Wundruba Administrative Payam.

He appealed to the government to intervene and stop illegal gold mining across the country.

“I strongly condemn a killing of civilian population over 60 by unknown gunmen in Jabil, Iraq. And it seems the incident is associated with a competition over illegal gold mining in the area of Jebel Iraq,” he said in a statement to the media.

“My appeal, I repeat myself, goes to the authorities of the government to intervene in stopping this practice of illegal gold mining across the country. With this incident where we have seen over 60 lives of people are already lost and people are migrating looking for necessity,” he said.

Yakani further called on the government to formalize gold mining in the country to reduce conflicts linked to the sector.

He stressed the need for clear policies, procedures, operational standards, and a strong legal framework to regulate gold mining and minimize violence.

“For us to formalize gold mining in the country, we better have a formal policy, procedure, systems, standards, operation, procedures and legal framework for gold mining across the country. So that at least we will minimize a violent way of gold mining,” he stated.

“So therefore, let’s abstain from illegal gold mining. For the government, formalize gold mining in the country to avoid the country losing lives,” he added.

Yakani emphasized that proper regulation of gold mining is key to protecting civilians and reducing violence linked to illegal activities.