A Zambian man who witnessed first hand the impact mining had on his country met NI communities facing an influx of prospectors.
Huge swathes of ‘the west’ are now subject to mineral prospecting licences from mining companies hoping to find gold and other precious metals in Tyrone, Fermanagh, Derry and parts of south Armagh and Down.
Fumba Chama, 38, from Lusaka met with activists opposed to extractivism in the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as well young people in Belfast and Derry.
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His tale is one of international firms extracting his country’s valuable natural resources while local communities saw few benefits.
Outlining the themes he raised at local meetings, Fumba told Belfast Live: “My work is mainly around inequality.
“The communities where these mines are operating are among the poorest in the country.
“These mines were making millions and millions and sending it out of the country whilst the communities are suffering.
“These people do not have an option, they are trapped in this community.”
Singer and activist Chuma says proposals for another contentious mine in Lower Zambezi National Park has sparked serious concerns for its ecosystems and the livelihood of millions.
“The Lower Zambezi is a reserve, it is where you find a lot of wildlife, animals, a lot of water as the Zambzi finally leads to Victoria Falls and a lot of big communities of people depend on the Zambezi,” he explained.
“I have come in solidarity between the African communities and communities in Ireland... to work together in the struggle,” he added.
“I met the people in the Sperrins and young activists in Derry and Belfast and I hope when I get back to Zambia, there is some continued engagement and to create that international solidarity around these issues.
“With the people in the Sperrins, the people have been resisting for the past 10 years and that is the case with the people in the Lower Zambezi which started a long time ago.
“At some point the court said mining could not happen... and I don’t know what happened but eventually the court said mining could commence."
Fumba added that, while the mining companies that came to his country promised employment opportunities for local people, the well paid jobs typically went to people who already had experience working in the mining industry while local people had to make do with lower paid jobs like working as security guards.
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