Uranium will start flowing out of Malawi for the first time in just a few short weeks, from a mine within the catchment area of a river that flows directly into Lake Malawi. As John Borshoff, managing director of the company in charge of the project, Paladin Resources of Australia, explained, “There has been an over-compensation in terms of thinking about environmental and social issues in regard to uranium operations in Australia, forcing companies like Paladin into Africa” (Melbourne Herald Sun).
Paladin Resources didn’t get to this stage of operations in Malawi easily. In fact, civil society organizations were present from the beginning, pressing for environmental safety standards and transparency. A coalition of organizations began to rally in 2005, pointing out the potential environmental and health hazards from uranium mining, especially given the proposed location of the Kayelekera mine by a river that flows into Lake Malawi. This lake is one of the most pristine freshwater bodies remaining in the world, and a vital source of food for the Malawian people.
Other problems soon arose: a flawed Environmental Impact Assessment that was too quickly approved and contained poor plans for disposing of radioactive tailings; bribes for local chiefs; lack of consultation with communities; and broken promises about new water services. In addition, massive amounts of electricity – nearly 20 percent of Malawiís total supply – would be needed for the mine. Local groups noted that people who were relocated as a result of the project were only compensated about $80 for land they had lived on for generations. Communities are also concerned about the link between open-pit uranium mining and high cancer rates and kidney problems. (Read about the impact of uranium mining in Australia, one of the world’s top producers, here.)
However, the projected increase from the mining for Malawi’s foreign export earnings offset the complaints, and Paladin Resources was quickly granted a license in 2007 for the Kayelekera mine project in the northern Karonga District. The Malawi government has retained 15 percent ownership of the operations and has defended the project as compliant with environmental and human rights standards. But, it should be noted that Malawi does not have any existing regulations regarding the handling and transportation of radioactive materials like uranium.
Surrounding communities depend on the North Rukuru River for their daily needs. Unfortunately, this river, which lies within the catchment area of the Kayelekera uranium mine and drains into Lake Malawi, will soon be polluted by tailings from the mine’s operations.
‘Local Citizen Groups Press for Accountability’
Locally-based group Citizens for Justice has been one of the key players in making sure that Paladin Resources is held accountable for its actions. In a press release in 2007, they declared, ” . . . We are not against the [mine]…which is what Paladin claims. We do, however, insist that the health, safety, and welfare of the people [of the area] . . . should not be set aside to facilitate the development of Kayelekera by taking short cuts. We insist that Paladin . . . should fully address our concerns on health, safety, and welfare.” Citizens for Justice is the only organization in Malawi dedicated to the issue of mining. A grant from Greengrants in 2006 enabled this group to start its campaign to increase public awareness about the possible impacts of the uranium mine – a $5,000 grant at a time when the entire budget of the group was only $7,200.
In 2007 Citizens for Justice, along with five other civil society organizations, filed a court injunction against the Kayelekera mine project, supported by an additional grant of $5,000 from Greengrants’ Southern Africa Advisory Board. The goal was to halt the project until Paladin Resources complied with civil society requests and the government improved oversight and accountability. However, the suit was marked by increasing tensions among the civil society coalition members. It was ultimately settled out of court, amidst allegations that several of the organizations had taken kickbacks from the mining company.
The Director of Citizens for Justice, Reinford Mwangonde, noted that among other things, the settlement took away the rights of non-governmental organizations to take Paladin Resources to court again in the future. “I refused to sign such an agreement!” said Mwangonde. Intimidation is all too common in Malawi, and the pressures for the economic development that the mining would bring to this poor nation are immense.
Mwangonde explained that Paladin Resources and the Malawi government would rather that Citizens for Justice not exist at all: “Right now, we are seen as the only real threat, as we have maintained our critical independent voice about the negative impacts of the project. We are also well-networked with international groups, even in Australia.” Mwangonde has been the target of acts of intimidation and harassment.
The chiefs in the area where the mine is located are also split: several are pleased with the prospects of money flowing into their pockets from the mine, while several are very much against the project and want to see additional safeguards in place. Paladin Resources has promised new schools, clean water, a health center, and much-needed jobs. But, the company is already falling short on these promises.
While Paladin Resources had originally promised to provide safe and clean water to the whole Karonga District – more than 210,000 people – the company now says that it will only provide water to about 25,000 people. The cost of living in the Karonga region has tripled, with food prices sky-rocketing and access declining as Paladin Resources brings in food to feed its 1,150 workforce at the mine. Many locals have been shut out of jobs because they don’t have the necessary skills and Paladin Resources is unwilling to train them. In addition, labor violations have surfaced in one of the companies contracted for mine work, including underpay and lack of benefits.
While the Project Advances, Big Next Steps Lay Ahead for Local Group
Although the Paladin Resources mining project is now underway in Malawi, the work is far from over. Citizens for Justice just received a follow-up grant from Greengrants to enable it to move forward with the next stage: continuing to increase awareness of the problems emerging from the mine, and enabling communities to pressure the company to maintain transparency and accountability.
Mwangonde noted that the most important thing now is to organize local communities so that they can participate as well-informed citizens for protection of their rights. He outlined the following goals:
* Implement independent monitoring of mining activities with international partner organizations.
* Bring in independent experts to analyze the strategies and standards that Paladin Resources is using.
* Increase local, national, and international awareness about Paladin Resource’s activities.
* Make clear to Malawians that the majority of resources earned from the mine leave Malawi, while the detrimental impacts are left behind.
* Work to inform Paladin Resources’s shareholders and the mine’s financiers about the lack of corporate responsibility and disregard for human rights occurring at the mine.
This is a crucial moment to sustain action around the Kayelekera project. And locally-led groups like Citizens for Justice are in the ideal position to do so; they are trusted by communities, and at the same time can connect up and out to regional and international networks working on similar issues.
Greengrants’ Southern Africa Advisory Board is focusing in on energy and mining issues in the region, and reaching out to groups like Citizens for Justice with both effective and timely small grants, as well as key networking support. As a result, support from Greengrants’ donors in the U.S. goes straight to leaders like Mwangonde and Citizens for Justice. We’ll keep you updated on this case in Malawi as their work continues with your support.
In November, Citizens for Justice became the Friends of the Earth member for Malawi, joining the worldís largest grassroots environmental network.