Luanda, Mar 4 (Prensa Latina) Popular claims in southern Angola warned of the illegal extraction of diamonds and other natural resources in localities of Cuando Cubango, local press reported on Wednesday.
According to the Jornal de Angola daily, the warnings came from the municipality of Mavinga, where the population observed a group of foreigners in clandestine mining activities.
Cited by the newspaper, the province’s governor Julio Bessa said he knew the claims of the population and promised that personnel from the Ministries of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, and Interior will carry out the relevant investigations to adopt measures.
From the Caiundo commune, 135 kilometers from the city of Menongue, reports also arrived on the extraction of various mineral resources, including mercury, confirmed the governor, who assured he was not in doubts about the complaints’ veracity.
As he acknowledged, another similar concern is the uncontrolled exploitation of forest resources in the province, rich in biodiversity, wood, diamonds, copper, gold, bronze, quartz and iron.
The aforementioned irregularities are a concern of the national authorities, which launched Operation Transparency in September 2018, focused primarily on preventing and punishing crimes related to diamond trafficking and immigration.
As a result of the plan, in September 2019 the executive reported on the seizure of about 35,000 carats in one year.
Source: DCLA