Luanshya ‘illegal’ miners riot

POLICE in the early hours of yesterday fought running battles with illegal miners who had invaded Roan Extension Waste which belongs to CNMC Luanshya Copper Mine (CLM)

The miners mobilized outside the Mine premises and began blocking access roads, burning tyres and throwing stones hence causing a threat to the public. Police dispersed the riotous mob using tear smoke and in the process, five suspected ringleaders were arrested and are in Police custody.

The riotous mob went on rampage and looted three Bonanza machines at the Mpatamatu market.

The incident happened after midnight when police officers stormed the area to remove the illegal miners who started throwing stones at the law enforcement officers forcing them to discharge teargas.

Scores of the illegal miners especially those who were throwing stones were rounded up during the operation.

Copperbelt Commissioner of Police Elias Chushi said police carried out the operation after a request from the Chinese-owned CLM

"I can confirm that those are illegal miners who took possession of the open pit at CLM and so the owners of the mine engaged the police to remove them from the pit. So, in the early hours of today (Sunday), we carried out an operation to remove the illegal miners from the pit.

"The operation was carried out at night and we asked them to move out peacefully but some of them started throwing stones at the police forcing, the officers to fire teargas canisters. We have arrested some of them," Mr Chushi said.

In a separate interview, CLM Head of Public Relations, Sydney Chileya, said the people who had invaded the pit claimed to have been given the site by the previous government of the Patriotic Front.

Mr Chileya said the company decided to engage the police to remove them from the pit called Roan Extension Waste

"This open pit has been invaded by people who claim to have been given by the PF. So, we sought the intervention of the police command starting from here in Luanshya at district level to the provincial level. In the early hours of today (Sunday), the police swung into action," Mr Chileya said.

He said the invasion of the Roan Extension Waste by people who claim to have been given the site by the PF had adversely affected the operations and production at the company.