Less than two months ago, two Tanzanian citizens – allegedly searching for gold dust at African Barrick’s North Mara mine – were shot dead by police. Then, on 7 November, over 4,000 persons are alleged to have raided the mine in search of “rocks rich in gold”. There have been several such “incidents” in recent years as the UK-listed company, assisted by security forces, has signally failed to respond to local demands for a full measure of equity in the mining operations. Reflecting this obduracy, a government official is quoted as saying that, since the mine is surrounded by villages, “it would be better to compensate the people and move them elsewhere and provide them with better houses.”
See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=12013.