Chinese nationals suspected of illegal gold mining arrested in Ghana

More than 100 Chinese nationals have been detained by police in the Ashanti region of Ghana.  The Chinese citizens are suspected of illegally participating in gold mining.  The detentions are part of a larger effort to stop illegal gold mining in the West African country, which is the second largest producer of gold on the continent after South Africa.

Chinese diplomats are seeking to free the detainees who are currently being held at an immigration detention center in the capital city of Accra.  According to the Associated Press, Chinese diplomats are walking a diplomatic tight rope needing to demonstrate both China’s respect for national laws and desiring to protect the rights of their citizens.

Chinese citizens began to migrate to Ghana to participate in gold mining activities in 2005.  Today, Chinese nationals run most small and medium-sized gold mining operations in the Ashanti region.  And it is estimated that 50,000 Chinese now live in Ghana to mine gold.

The Chinese media has reported that some Chinese miners are hiding in jungles to escape arrest and that Ghanaian military forces are encouraging local residents to loot Chinese residents.

This is not the first time such raids have taken place.  Just 3 months ago, more than 120 Chinese citizens were arrested.  And late last year, one young Chinese resident died during a raid.

The Ghanaian president has stated that efforts to prevent illegal mining are necessary because the country is losing millions of dollars from the environmental damage such activities are causing.  Illegal mining is also responsible for the deaths of hundreds in Ghana because of the precarious conditions in which the activities take place.

(Edited from Associated Press and Mining.com)