The Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament considers the vulnerability of artisanal miners in Africa unacceptable, particularly in the mining area in the Kivu region.

Following the repeated massacres of several diggers by unidentified armed men, namely that of artisanal miners in the mining area of Mukungwe on 7 and 8 March 2015, the president of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, Gianni Pittella, said:
 
“We deplore the death of these 10 people and we call for the demarcation of industrial mining concessions. In addition, we support the creation of artisanal mining areas which would need to be protected effectively from armed raids. Mining is a source of wealth, but without controls and safety measures, unfortunately it becomes dangerous and inhumane.

“The S&D Group is particularly attentive to the abusive exploitation of mineral sources and child labour in this type of activity. The Group is firmly against the use of mineral resources for funding the armed struggle.”
 
*The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament are asking for a binding law so that four of the “conflict minerals” – tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold – are not used in products sold in Europe. The Group achieved its first legal victory in the Committee on Development on Monday, and it will defend this proposition of binding law in the vote on the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade in mid-April.

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