We, as CBNRM Forum Zimbabwe, ZAMBEZI SOCIETY, citizens and representing civic society in Zambia and Zimbabwe, hereby petition:

to stop the proposed open cast copper mining in the Lower Zambezi National Park, noting

1.1  That the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project, on which the approval of the project depends, is inadequate, defective and does not indicate post project restoration measures;

1.2 That the EIA was not carried out in a transboundary context in accordance with the customary international law obligation arising from Principle 21/2 of the Stockholm and Rio Declarations respectively which provides that namely “States have sovereignty over their natural resources and the responsibility not to cause environmental damage to the environment of other states or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction” as well as the SADC Protocol on Mining;”

 

1.3 That this obligation 21/2 of the Stockholm and Rio Declarations respectively is binding in terms of customary international law;

 

1.4 That this obligation is the cornerstone of various multilateral environmental agreements and SADC Protocols which Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe are parties;

 

1.5 That the riparian and basin states to the Zambezi River were neither consulted nor informed in terms of the SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourses;

 

1.6 That Zimbabwe and Mozambique were neither consulted nor informed in terms of the SADC Protocol on Wildlife and Law Enforcement;

 

1.7 That a risk assessment was not carried out in term of the Convention on the conservation of Biological Diversity; and

 

1.8 The envisaged life span of the project is only in the order of One Decade, consequently the envisaged benefits to the Zambian people is short lived, while the likely, and the certain, environmental damage would be long lasting.

 

Noting further that

2.1 The project covers close to half the Park area;

2.2 That the mining involves the excavation of very large volumes of earth to access the ore, which, during the rains, will be washed into the natural drainage channels and eventually into the Zambezi River;

2.3 That there will be considerable Rock Acid Drainage  which will seep into the soil as well as run into the drainage channels that flow into the Zambezi;

2.4 That the Zambezi river sediments will be contaminated by heavy metals, such as Copper, Cadmium and possibly Uranium;

2.5 That the operation area will be contaminated by Radon, heavy gaseous radioactive, which, by its specific gravity, will settle close to ground level and thus pose a serious health hazard to wildlife and humans;

2.6 That the operation, by use of heavy equipment will generate noise and dust levels well above the environmentally permissible levels;

2.7 That the transfer of the ore concentrate to the Copperbelt by road will create undue hazard to wild animals in the valley as well as heighten the chances of serious traffic accidents on the north bound highway from Chirundu, and especially on the escarpment segment of the highway;

2.8 That the project proponents boast of the creation of 350 jobs (earnings not indicated) against the loss of the current 500 jobs currently supported by the National Park; and

2.9 That the peripheral opportunities offered by the mine compound which would probably cater only for workers, to vendors and sex related liaisons would create a “pull” factor that would increase the human population in the park significantly with its unavoidable health risks.

 

3.0 Recognising the implications of Zambia’s obligations to the Obligation arising from Principle 21/2 Rio and Stockholm Declaration on customary international law regarding the exploitation of natural resources;

3.1 That the  project will prejudice the World Heritage Status of Zimbabwe’s World Heritage sites adjacent to the project impact zone;

3.2 That the Park is a migration corridor for wildlife between Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and particularly so for the endangered Painted Dog (African wild dog) Lycaon pictus;

3.3 That the project will denigrate the Wilderness Aura of Mana Pools and thus downgrade its tourist attraction;

3.4 That a decline in tourism in the Mana Pools area of the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve nullify close to Fifty years development and investment and management of the tourism industry Zimbabwe’s tourism industry in the Zambaezi Valley, leading to loss of revenue worth millions of dollars annually;

3.5 That pollution of the Zambaezi River will extend beyond Zambia’s territory to as far as Cabora Bassa in siltation and heavy metal contamination of the lake sediments;

3.6 That these negative impacts on the water of the Zambezi by the mining operations will be in breach of the SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourse;

 

3.7 That the project is on breach on the Obligation arising from Principle 21/2 Rio and Stockholm Declaration on customary international law regarding the exploitation of natural resources; multilateral environmental agreements and SADC Protocols on Mining, Fisheries, Wildlife and Tourism.

For these, and otherunforeseen consequences of the proposed mining operation in the Lower Zambezi National Park, we urge the relevant authorities to STOP the operation to proceed and discharge the Obligation arising from Principle 21/2 Rio and Stockholm Declaration on customary international law regarding the exploitation of natural resources; multilateral environmental agreements and SADC Protocols on Mining, Fisheries, Wildlife and Tourism.

 

We, the undersigned, as citizens and representing civic society in Zambia and Zimbabwe, hereby make our petition.