Merelani Mining Conflict Results in Death
By Hamza Kondo

A group of Wana-Apolo miners eagerly waiting to speak to Tanzania's Minister for Energy and Minerals, Edgar Maokola Majogo, during his visit in April. Photo © Hamza Kondo, Sena News Ltd.

MERELANI, TANZANIA - Amid continued tension at the Merelani tanzanite mines, the Tanzanian press has reported that a security guard employed by African Gem Resources (AFGEM) allegedly shot and killed local miner Emmanuel Obed, 17, on April 28.

Reports from Merelani, which were also confirmed by the Arusha Regional Police Commander (RPC) Suleimani Kova, said that a fight between the miners and the AFGEM guards started at 9 a.m. after a group of small-scale miners, popularly known as Wana-Apolo, illegally entered AFGEM's tanzanite mining plot.

An eyewitness said that following the invasion AFGEM guards fired at the miners, seriously injuring Obed, who died few minutes later at the scene.

An AFGEM representative denied that AFGEM personnel were involved, saying, "The local miners were throwing stones onto AFGEM's property, seemingly in an attempt to harrass our staff. Our security team called the Merelani police in to manage the situation, and apparently, a miner was shot. . . . Our security team was not involved in the incident at all -- they act as a 'last resort' protection of the lives of our staff."

Obed's fellow miners carried his body around the village before taking it to the area police station. Obed's body was reportedly taken later to Arusha's regional hospital, Mount Meru.

RPC Kova said an estimated 300 Apolo members had assembled earlier that morning at their mining plot -- Block B -- before they invaded Block C, AFGEM's plot.

"They were chanting slogans like . . . '[they] must go; they are milking us and living on our sweat,' " RPC Kova said.

This is only one of a series of incidents between AFGEM personnel and local miners, which prompted the Minister for Energy and Minerals, Edgar Maokola Majogo, to intervene in early April when he visited the mine.

See Tensions Boil Over at Tanzanite Mines for more on this ongoing conflict.