Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - “It is very likely a transaction, that for some reason, there has been a hitch and that has helped to confirm the involvement of the Congolese military in the illegal exploitation of Congolese mineral resources,” Fr Loris Cattani told Fides. He is a Xaverian missionary and leader of the Network for Peace in the Congo, commenting on the detention of an aircraft at the airport of Goma, capital of North Kivu (eastern DRC). The aircraft was used in an attempt to export a large quantity of gold. On 3 February, local authorities blocked a Gulfstream, registered in the United States, and coming from Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. On board, there were four passengers (two Nigerians, one French and one American) who were arrested on charges of smuggling gold. A sum of money was recovered, about 1.8 million U.S. dollars. Those arrested said they had paid U.S. $ 6.5 million to buy the quantity of gold. Nothing is known of what happened to the money not confiscated by the police. Even with regards to the quantity of gold smuggled, the local authorities are not giving precise figures. One source says that it is 310 kg, another says 435.6 and another 456.
“Something must have happened. Someone wanted to deceive the other party, but the affair was discovered, probably because one party was talking. Moreover, it seems that was not the first time the plane landed at Goma,” says Fr Loris.
On 10 September, the Head of State, Joseph Kabila, decreed the suspension of the exploitation and export of minerals in the three provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema. This decision was made to drain the still active armed groups of resources and thus save the mining sector. The president also denounced “the obvious involvement” of local, provincial and national, civil and military authorities, in this illicit trade in minerals from the east of the Country.
Some army personnel from the ranks of former guerilla fighters may be implicated in the aircraft event in Goma. “This confirms the theory that at least part of the army is involved in the illegal trade in minerals. That it is the military breaking the ban of mining activity in the eastern provinces is worrying,” stresses Fr Loris.
According to the missionary, “the detention of the aircraft in Goma is very significant, because the aircraft was registered in the United States and came from Nigeria, showing the reach of the smuggling networks. It will be interesting to see how the event develops.” The gold comes from Bukavu or another area, but it is smuggled through Goma airport because it is the only international airport in the area. The Catholic Church, through the Bishops' Commission for Justice and Peace, is working on a dossier on illegal exploitation of Congolese mineral resources. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 10/2/2011)
