The multinational mining company Zijin-Continental Gold issued an extensive statement this week in which it referred to the attacks that it has been receiving for months from miners who apparently are part of criminal structures and that they have been on the verge of ending the lives of some of the company’s workers.
The most recent violent event occurred on May 19, when a group of illegal miners tried to violently take over a ramp of the mine operated by the company in Buriticá.
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The illegals attacked the mine staff with firearms and improvised explosives, but the attack could be contained by surveillance personnel from the private security company Atempi, which provides services at the mine. Given this, The illegal miners were forced to turn back.
In the midst of the clashes, two workers had to be rushed to Medellín, as they were injured with firearms.
According to the authorities, the way the illegals operate in these cases consists of make false calls for help by people supposedly trapped inside the mine, to stop its operation, summon the employees and attack them.
However, last week’s attack was not an isolated event, according to data collected by authorities, In the last year there have been nearly 10 terrorist attacks in which illegal miners have thrown thousands of explosive devices and shot at mine personnel hundreds of times.
In its statement, Continental Gold condemned “these delinquent acts of criminal mining that violate the legal rights of the company and employees.”
The company accuses a digital station in the municipality of spreading rumors about alleged miners trapped due to backfilling work carried out by the company. As they say, The rumor has gone from 600 people trapped in the sinkholes to two“without ever mentioning a specific place where they were trapped.”
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The company reported that has never received any formal complaint from the authorities about the supposedly trapped people, as well as complaints or requests from their relatives, according to what was broadcast on the station.
La Continental assures that on May 19, the day of the most recent attack, it received a call from the Buriticá mayor’s office informing them that several people from the municipality, apparently two individuals, They were trapped in the Yaraguá mine, operated by the company. Reason why they were forced to stop backfilling operations.
Backfilling consists of mixing the waste with materials such as cement and subsequently pumping it underground to fill the wells and spaces left by the initial exploitation.
According to the company, the backfilling process not only meets the requirements of the environmental authority, but was a requirement made this year by the municipal community action boards, so they consider that stopping it “It goes against the relevant laws and regulations, as well as the request of the communities.”
Finally, the company reported that despite not having solid evidence about the people allegedly trappedmade public calls at different underground levels to attend to them, but received no response. Likewise, on May 20, at the request of the National Mining Agency, the company accompanied the municipal authorities and the Firefighters to carry out another loudspeaker in said place where the people were supposedly trapped, thus verifying that there were no calls for help. .
The company points out that the alarm photos and videos published on the station have been circulating for six months and what they do is “confirm and recognize illegal invasion activities of the company’s tunnels and the theft of its assets by these illegal miners.”
“If people were really trapped, Why in such an urgent situation did the illegal miners not take any evacuation or rescue measures, but, on the contrary, took the opportunity to intensify their violent and lethal attacks against the company’s security personnel? Who is really disregarding human life? Why is the life of company employees different from that of illegal miners? Don’t the company’s employees have the right to a decent and safe job?” they question from Continental Gold.
Finally, the mining company asks the authorities to take stronger measures against illegal mining and asks citizens to “distance themselves as soon as possible from illegal mining activities and criminal organizations.”
