Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has ordered police to arrest miners who vandalise property while continuing a strike for higher pay and better work conditions, a presidential spokesperson said on Friday.
”The president has thus directed the police to reinforce security in the area and arrest any perpetrators of such behaviour,” spokesperson Arthur Yoyo said in a statement.
”The president is calling upon miners to resolve the matter amicably rather than engage in riotous behaviour, which is not only destructive to property but also a serious criminal offence,” Yoyo said.
The strike at the copper mines in Zambia’s Copperbelt province has cost more than $20-million since it began last week, Mines Minister Kaunda Lembalemba told Parliament on Friday.
He said the situation in the Copperbelt Province is volatile and could lead to the closure of mines.
”The action by the miners is unprecedented,” Lembalemba said, adding that more than 20 people have been arrested and detained by police.
Striking miners on Thursday set off explosives at the biggest copper mine, Konkola Copper Mine (KCM), which caused extensive damage and a power blackout but no injuries, KCM spokesperson Augustine Seyuba said.
Zambian police fired tear gas last week to quell a riot by hundreds of striking miners and their families who were protesting against poor work conditions and low wages.
The Zambian government has sold most of its mining companies to foreign investors after it failed to turn a profit, but the mines have lately been plagued by a high number of accidents mainly blamed on poor safety standards.
Copper mining is Zambia’s main export and accounts for more than 50% of the country’s gross domestic product. — Sapa-AFP