Despite the enactment of the Minerals and Mining Act, of 2022, which introduced mandatory registration of artisanal mining, ASMs in Tapac sub-county in Karamoja continue to operate informally, and this has made it hard to access financial support services and garner collective bargaining power.
This among others is contained in the new report about mining in Karamoja released today by Green Deal Uganda which is titled Promise and Peril
The report further shows that artisanal small miners especially women and PWDs do not have easy access to affordable credit facilities to Support their mining business. Most of them cannot do much without hiring manpower which comes with labour costs.
During the report launch, Sophie Nangiro Vice chairperson Karamoja Artisan miners Association has noted Many ASMs and local communities in Tapac sub-county, Moroto district have been illegally evicted from their land without prior, prompt and adequate compensation.
‘’The land acquisition processes lack transparency and community involvement. ASMs and local communities are excluded from decision making regarding the mining area acquired by Tororo Cement Limited of the mining area instead the corporation primarily interacts with local political leaders and the church, leaving the local population uninformed and marginalized’’ said Ronald Nampura a legal associate at Green Deal Uganda.
The report recommends that the government should ensure the protection of the rights of the artisan miners in Karamoja
To protect artisanal small miners from exploitation by mining firms, ‘’the government of Uganda through the ministry of Energy and Mineral Development should facilitate and foresee the process of formalization of the work of artisanal miners’’. The report stated.
Ii furthers calls upon the government to undertake a comprehensive analysis and research on the violations of free, prior and informed consent. ‘’This is key to understand the cumulative impacts of numerous exploration contracts in Karamoja. The findings of this analysis should inform policy recommendations to safeguard the well-being of the affected communities’’.
‘’We urge the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to formally request an invitation from the Government of Uganda to conduct an onsite assessment of the human rights situation of Uganda’s indigenous peoples, with a particular focus on those residing in the Karamoja mining sub-region. This visit would provide an invaluable opportunity to gather firsthand information, engage with affected communities, and assess the impact of mining and extractive activities on the rights and well-being of indigenous peoples’’ said in the report.
Tororo Mining Company
Put in place a clear mechanism for regular and at least quarterly consultations with Artisanal miners in Tapac sub-county through their representative institutions such as the Tapac Miners Association and Karamoja Miners Association.
Consult with the Artisanal small miners in Tapac sub-county through their representative institutions like the (Tapac Miners Association and Karamoja Miners Association) and local governments. This process should ensure the free and informed consent of communities in the locality.
