Angolan Police Wants Public’s Help Fighting Illegal Mining

A senior Angolan police officer said all citizens of the country should become involved in the fight against the illegal mining of diamonds.

Paulo de Almeida, who was speaking about the third phase of an operation named "Brilhante", which began two months ago and is due to continue until December, said the campaign against illegal miners could not be carried out only by the police and armed forces.

"If we continue to think like that, we will take some steps, we will operate, but the situations will continue to repeat themselves. There will be a waste of forces and means, without any profit [benefit] on this gigantic effort," he said

The main areas where illegal diamond exploration has taken place have been cleared but there are concerns illegal miners may reoccupy them again as soon as security forces are withdrawn, he said, urging other members of society to help in keeping the areas clear of illicit activity.

Almeida said the Brilhante operation had been largely successful, particularly in light of the difficulties faced, such as the length of the country’s borders, limitations in human and material resources and rains that make policing activities difficult.

Angola recently expelled more than 400 foreigners, mostly Congolese subjects, as part of a controversial crackdown on diamond traffickers that has attracted international attention after human rights groups complained about the treatment handed out to those expelled.

The Congolese were part of a group of more than 1,000 people detained last month as part of Operation Diamond that was initially launched by the police and the army in December last year to end trafficking in resources.

Around 120,000 Congolese and 35,000 West Africans have been expelled since the start of the crackdown.

Human rights groups claim the anti-foreigner campaign has been carried out brutally and that some women and children had been raped and forced to walk long distances without food or water.