Chinese-run gold mining operations are encroaching on the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in eastern Congo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its biodiversity and role as a climate-critical carbon sink. The reserve was declared a protected site in 1996. However, its boundaries have since been altered under dubious circumstances, allowing semi-industrial mining despite legal prohibitions. Local communities and conservationists report extensive environmental damage, including deforestation, polluted rivers, infertile soil, and dwindling wildlife. The influx of miners has also intensified poaching and displaced indigenous livelihoods. Kimia Mining, a Chinese company operating within the reserve, asserts compliance with local laws, citing government permits. However, discrepancies in official maps and allegations of corruption have cast doubt on the legitimacy of these permits. Conservation efforts face hurdles due to ambiguous enforcement. However, UNESCO has requested that Congo provide clarity on how to resolve the problem by February.
SOURCE: AP NEWS
