Tension in Dikouéhipalégnoa: MP Konaté's efforts to restore peace.
In Dikouéhipalégnoa, a village in the sub-prefecture of Gagnoa, tensions are running high between the locals and a mining company that has come to set up operations there.
It must be said, social cohesion is threatened there because the villagers fear for their forest heritage. In an effort to better understand what is happening, the Honorable Moussa Konaté visited the village last Sunday and spoke with the residents.
"I came to find out what is happening here so that together we can find the appropriate solutions to prevent the situation from deteriorating," the elected official explained, setting the context for his visit.
In light of the explanations of the various speakers, the honourable member was able to identify a number of grievances made against the mining company.
According to the villagers, the gold miners, claiming to have permits, arrived in the village without any formalities. They took possession of certain areas in the forest to carry out their activities, which has had significant consequences for the farmers.
In particular, coffee, cocoa and rubber producers have seen their plantations partially destroyed by the passage of the mining company's machines and other equipment through the fields.
"In such circumstances, as is done everywhere else, we should have been able to benefit from compensatory measures through compensation commensurate with the damage recorded in each plantation," complained a villager to the MP.
The plaintiffs state that they were not involved in the project in any way. However, they say their intention is not to oppose the mining company's project, but simply to ensure their rights are respected to prevent any problems.
Moussa Konaté acknowledged the validity of the villagers' concerns and urged them to pursue a path of calm. He believes the solution lies in dialogue between the various parties. Therefore, he proposed that the villagers establish a monitoring committee, overseen by the village elders and the village mutual aid society.
This committee will meet with the mining company to agree on a compensation schedule before work begins. This measure was, in fact, agreed upon last month during a meeting between the mining company and the villages targeted by the company for its operations, including the prefect.
As this agreement was not respected, the people of Dikouéhipalégnoa expressed their discontent.
“My role is to raise awareness among the population about preserving peace in all circumstances. I ask parents to distance themselves from violence to give dialogue a better chance.”
"It is important to sit down at the discussion table to find solutions to the problem at hand," the honourable member told the press.
He plans to speak with the managers of the company in question in the coming days in order to balance the information in his possession.
Lyne Zahui / © Gagnoa.net
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