Zambia is one of the poorest nations in the world, but in its northern providence of Luapula, mines that are filled with numerous minerals that could greatly help out the providence and the nation. Luapula also has a substantial amount of small famers that inhabit the lands of the providences richest mineral fields. The people that mine these lands are forcing the farmers off the land to harvest the minerals present. This is mostly being done at gunpoint by the miners and the miners have the backing from the government. The Zambian government does not see a problem with this because they are simply providing income for the country. The farmers are outraged that they are being forced off their land at gunpoint without being given compensation of alternative land to live on and farm. These farmers that have been evicted by the miners are placing complaints with the Zambia Land Alliance, a land rights NGO based in Mansa, the providence’s capital. These complaints have come to no avail. The government has come out and said that the people that are living on the land are doing so illegally, so therefore the farmers have no grounds to complain.
Student Researcher: Morgan Chase Miller
Faculty Evaluator: Elliot D. Cohen, Ph.D.
Indian River State College
Sources:
IRINNews.org, “ZAMBIA: Land and mineral rights in conflict” http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=90338
BBC, “Zambia Country Profile” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1069294.stm