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Irate villagers fight it out with miner`s security guards
2008-03-25 09:22:33
By PST Correspondent, Korogwe
Fighting between security guards of Amazon mining company and people has erupted in Kigwase Village, Korogwe District, Tanga Region with the guards said to have used live bullets.
A house belonging to the company's manager was set on fire as angry villagers invaded the mining company`s camp in an attempt to have two of their fellow villagers, who had been arrested and locked up in the camp, released, according to reports from the scene.
The incident occurred last week when the company`s security guards apprehended two villagers who were reportedly found prospecting on the company`s compound illegally.
Speaking to PST, Kigwase local government leader Augustino Yustino said the situation became tense, forcing village authorities to solicit police assistance to calm down tempers by the angry villagers.
Yustino said the fighting started after the villagers received information on the arrests by the security men. The company was allegedly planning to take the villagers to court.
``The security guards ignored the request by wananchi to set the villagers free, upon which the villagers mobilised themselves and ambushed the company's camp to rescue their colleagues,`` Yustino said.
``As the fighting was going on, the security guards fired in the air in an unsuccessful attempt to disperse the villagers. It is at this point that local government leaders intervened,`` he said.
After failing to bring peace during the fracas, local government authorities had to communicate with Tanga regional police commander and Korogwe district police commander, who sent police units which ultimately managed to bring the situation under control.
The village leader dismissed allegations that the village authorities were siding with the investor for failure to solve the long-standing and frequent problem, which had already resulted in the killing of some villagers.
Instead Yustino passed on the blame to district authorities for failure to restrain the investor from mistreating the villagers, including arbitrary arrests, beating up and locking them up in the company`s cells.
According to documented reports, more than five people have so far been shot dead by the company`s security guards during past similar incidents.
Last year a similar crisis called for the intervention of the Field Force Unit (FFU) when wananchi rose up against the investor`s alleged exploitative and discriminatory practices.
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