Chinese bosses shoot protesting Zambian miners

[ajtr]

Chinese bosses shoot protesting Zambian miners: police​

LUSAKA (AFP) – Managers at a Chinese-run Collum Coal Mine in Zambia shot and wounded 12 miners who were protesting against poor working conditions, police said on Saturday.
"The workers were protesting against the poor working conditions when managers using shotguns started to shoot aimlessly, not in the air, thereby wounding 12 workers," police spokesman Ndandula Siamana told AFP.
Before the Friday incident in the southern town of Sinazongwe, workers had constantly been complaining about poor working conditions at the mine.
Siamana said police were investigating the incident and no charges had been brought against the managers.
"It's possible that the managers feared that they might be attacked but we shall ensure that the culprits are brought to book," Siamana said.
The 12 workers are currently being treated at a local hospital for various gunshot wounds.
The incident has halted production at the mine and threatened to worsen relations between workers and Chinese employers in the mining industry and other sectors.
Chinese investment in Zambia is on the rise, with several Chinese firms having snapped up mines in the copper rich southern African country.
In March, a Chinese company invested 37 million dollars (27.7 million euros) to revive a dormant nickel mine in the country.

 

[ajtr]

Chinese Managers Arrested for Shooting Zambian Miners​

Miners were protesting against poor working conditions at a Chinese run coal-mine

Zambia police on Oct. 18 arrested two Chinese managers who allegedly shot and wounded 12 miners protesting against poor working conditions at a Chinese run coal-mine, a government official said.
Oliver Pelete, the district commissioner for Sinazongwe southern town of the Zambian capital, said the two Chinese nationals would appear in court soon.

"At the moment, all I can tell you is that they have been charged for attempted murder and will be in court soon," said Pelete.

On Oct. 18, twelve workers at Collum Coal Mine were injured when mainly Chinese managers fired randomly at the protesters. The workers were hospitalized for treatment.

The incident has raised a political storm, with opposition leader Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front accusing the Chinese in the country of being untouchable because they are funding the ruling party ahead of next year's elections.

Investment from China has been on the rise Zambia, with several copper and coal mines bought by Chinese firms.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010

 

[ajtr]

Police nab two for shooting miners​

By Times Reporter

THE two Chinese nationals who shot and wounded 11 miners at Collum Coal Mine in Sinazeze on Friday have been arrested and are likely to be charged with attempted murder, Inspector-General of Police Francis Kabonde has said.

Addressing journalists in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Kabonde said investigations into the matter would be completed either by today or tomorrow.

He said the police warned and cautioned the two Chinese managers last week on Friday and arrested them the same day.

Mr Kabonde said the duo was transferred to Choma Police Station the same day because the cell at Sinazeze was small.

The police cell was also holding some suspected ringleaders of the riot at that mine and police feared there could be confusion if they were kept together with the Chinese managers.

He said the two Chinese nationals were not above the Zambian law as reported by some sections of the media and that police would not favour anybody found abrogating any law in the country.

"If found guilty, the two Chinse nationals shall be charged with attempted murder because nobody is above the law. We shall conclude our investigations by today or tomorrow. In the meantime the duo will remain remanded in custody," Mr Kabonde said.

He said the miners who incited their colleagues to riot would also be arrested for causing the fracas which resulted in property such as water pumps and electrical appliances being stolen.

Mr Kabonde said it was wrong for the Chinese managers to use live ammunition on workers who were not armed.

He also criticised the workers for resorting to violence while pressing for better salaries and other conditions of service.

Two of the 11 miners have been evacuated to the University Teaching Hospital for specialist treatment while the remaining nine are still admitted to Maamba Mine Hospital.

The miners were shot at after they protested against refusal by management to pay them their September salaries for the 11 days they were asked to stay away since there was no work to be done.

 

[ajtr]

Chinese bosses 'mistakenly' shot Zambia protesters: Beijing​

BEIJING, Oct 19 (AFP) Oct 19, 2010
China said Tuesday that two Chinese coal mine managers who were arrested in Zambia for allegedly shooting 12 local workers had hurt the Zambians "mistakenly".
The two Chinese nationals have been charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting randomly at the Zambian miners after they protested poor working conditions at their Chinese-run mine on Friday.

The incident has raised a political storm, with opposition leader Michael Sata accusing the Chinese in the country of being untouchable because they are funding the ruling party ahead of next year's elections.

However, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said the managers of the private company had "mistakenly hurt several local workers", while promising to cooperate with Zambia on the case.

"We will proceed from the overall interests of our friendly relations with Zambia, continue our close cooperation and properly handle the aftermath according to law," Ma said when asked for comment at a news briefing.

The injured workers at the Chinese-run Collum Coal Mine were hospitalised after the incident. The two Chinese suspects will appear in court soon, a Zambian government official told AFP.

Investment from China has been on the rise in Zambia, with several copper and coal mines bought by Chinese firms.

Africa has seen a wave of Chinese investment, despite criticism in the West that Beijing was blatantly ignoring human rights abuses, and environment and corruption issues in some countries as it lunges for the continent's resources.

China pumped 9.3 billion dollars into Africa by the end of 2009, a government report said last week, and Chinese officials have vowed the push would continue.

In particular, China has been criticised by the West over its support for regimes such as Sudan and Zimbabwe, which have been accused of human rights abuses, but many African leaders praise Beijing for not preaching to them on rights.

Ma said China's embassy in Lusaka had asked the Chinese-run company to "properly handle the dispute."

 

[ajtr]

Zambia: Police block petition against mine shooting​

Police forcing the UPND/PF youths from the Chinese Embassy
By LusakaTimes reporter
A MASSIVE Police unit today blocked opposition Patriotic Front (PF) National youth Secretary Erick Chanda and United Party for National Development (UPND) Lusaka Province Youth Coordinator, Brian Hapunda from presenting their petition to Chinese Ambassador Li Qiangmin.
The youths were expected to petition the Chinese government following the shooting incident of over 11 Zambian miners at a Chinese owned mine in Sinazongwe last Friday.
But the protestors arrived to an overwhelming police presence in riot gear while journalists from both local and international media organisations waited anxiously to report the procession.
The Chinese officials who were willing to speak to the protestors at around 09:30 hours Tuesday morning were held back by police officers who warned them of a possible altercation in the process of receiving the petition from the concerned citizens.
After halting the youths, police who caused more confusion at the Embassy than the protesters dragged the two, including another UPND member who was present, to a respectable 100 meters away from the Chinese mission.
The youth pleaded with police authorities and promised to cause no trouble in the presentation of the petition, but the irate paramilitary riot squad did not allow not even the media near the Embassy.
"We are not allowing interviews and no one is allowed to cross this (UN avenue), one of the police officers told a Muvi TV crew that attempted to speak to a Chinese national at the scene.
Police then locked up the Chinese Embassy and asked journalists to leave the premises, as the terrified Embassy officials peeped at the situation through a glass window.
The youths went to Petition the Chinese Ambassador following the shooting of 13 Zambian workers by management officials of a Chinese owned Collum Coal Mine in Southern Province.
The two officials who have been identified as Xiao Li Shan, 48, and Wu Jiu Hua, 46 are currently detained at Choma police station charged with attempted murder and are expected to appear in Court soon.

 

[tarunraju]

This is soo modeled along the lines of East India Company shooting protesting Indian employees. Zambia is effectively colonized.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Chinese mistook these guys for Tibetans or Uighurs,one answer to any protesters by the Chinese at the end of the barrel.

 

[SHASH2K2]

This real example of exploitation by Chinese employers. For those people profit is everything and employees are like cattles. One one hand chinese people criticize west and when it comes to making money they are worst and pathetic . Wish those two people are hanged publicaly.

 

[Ray]

How did the Chinese shoot the Zambians 'mistakenly'?

Surely, the Chinese are aware how Zambians look like or were the Chinese oiling their rifles as a part of maintenance and 12 round just tool off into the blue? If the latter, then the Chinese weapons are real faultu and faulty in design and working!

While shooting and killing in pure legal terms is murder, but it appears that they have panicked and so they shot and hence wounded them. That is attempt to murder.

After all, in China, they do not have such protests since everything is regulated.

Even a peaceful rally at the Tienanmen Square, but in strengths they could not imagine, made the Chinese authorities to panic with consequences that the Chinese now rue because it is a blemish they cannot wipe out, no matter what contrived piety they may churn.

So, it is obviously the Chinese panicked and shot their bolt!

A blemish in Africa that they will forever carry as a cross on their shoulders!

How has this incident been covered in the Chinese media?

Or is it blanked out in China as bad news is no news for the hearty, happy and world friendly Chinese govt and the Chinese proletariat?

 

[SHASH2K2]

Actually its good for Our efforts in African continent.we were muscled out by Chinese in various projects . we should use this incidence to kick some A** without using any force at all . Pure diplomacy .

 

[Daredevil]

So now Chinese have started exporting, apart from cheap products, the culture of poor working conditions, shooting the people who raise voice and then try to label the ghastly murders as a mistake. Its unbecoming of a rising super power in this modern world. I hope other African nations are taking notice of the exploitation and murders carried out by the Chinese.

 

[Armand2REP]

Doesn't sound like Zambian authorities are too concerned with Chinese exploitation... power of bribes.

 

[amoy]

the news is not covered up in China. and proletarians are aware of this... 'evil' of Capital and animal spirit is borderless be it in China or Zimbabwe

Capital eschews no profit, or very small profit, just as Nature was formerly said to abhor a vacuum. With adequate profit, captial is very bold

the guys are being brought to justice anyway. their company is a private investor from Zhejiang in S. China.

by the way in China it's deemed dangerous to work in Africa. some job ads attract applicants with "dedicated living quarters for Chinese expatriates with least exposure to 'locals'. my ex associate back from Nigeria said they (expatriates) had to walk out with bodyguards and never stayed outside at night. besides Chinese lack experience in interactions with foreigners or handling labor disputes in glbalization. I guess the 2 suspects were scared to death in front of African protesters

 

[pmaitra]

Perfect time for India make an entry. Zambians will do well to develop a spine and fight back. This is no 18 century that from a company(ies) China will capture Zambia like the East India Company did.

I would like to see some power-play now by India. 'Fuel-the-fire' should be the doctrine. I know it is not ethical, but India should try to harm Chinese investments anywhere and everywhere across the world. They can be bled to slow death till there is a regime change in there and freedom for Tibet.

 

[badguy2000]

well, those guys deserve justice,if they can not prove their deeds were justifiable defense。
anyhow, a balance judge is necessary

 

[mattster]

Guys, ......I have the prefect explanation for what happened.

In China when factory workers or miners or farmers protest - what do the Chinese bosses do ??
They simply call in the police and chief of the city who are all paid-off and get them to beat up the workers.

In Zambia, The Chinese figured that its a backward hole-in-wall country and they could shoot a couple of black Africans to teach them a lesson.
And if they are any problems, they could just buy off a few senior police officials and some local politicians.

The Chinese bosses are just doing what comes naturally to them.

 

[pmaitra]

well, those guys deserve justice,if they can not prove their deeds were justifiable defense。
anyhow, a balance judge is necessary

I definitely agree with what you are saying. Everyone has the right to self-defense.

However, I definitely do not agree with paying sub-par wages to people to get work done. It is a well known fact that there is widespread income disparity in China and many people working in the sweatshops are not paid well according to even Asian standards. China should realise that they have no business in imposing the same salary structure on foreigners or people outside China, so much so that they should be paying their own people well in the first place. For a balanced judgement to happen, one must investigate whether Chinese salary-structure was tantamount to borderline-slavery, or not, in the first place.

 

[badguy2000]

I definitely agree with what you are saying. Everyone has the right to self-defense.

However, I definitely do not agree with paying sub-par wages to people to get work done. It is a well known fact that there is widespread income disparity in China and many people working in the sweatshops are not paid well according to even Asian standards. China should realise that they have no business in imposing the same salary structure on foreigners or people outside China, so much so that they should be paying their own people well in the first place. For a balanced judgement to happen, one must investigate whether Chinese salary-structure was tantamount to borderline-slavery, or not, in the first place.

well, salary is base on market principle.

if workers think the salary is not fair, they can simply quit. nobody force them to do the job.

If the salary were really not fair,Chinese boss could not hire so many workers.

the fact that Chinese bosses can easily hire enough workers itslef fully proves the other side of the case.

 

[pmaitra]

well, salary is base on market principle.

if workers think the salary is not fair, they can simply quit. nobody force them to do the job.

If the salary were really not fair,Chinese boss could not hire so many workers.

the fact that Chinese bosses can easily hire enough workers itslef fully proves the other side of the case.

That is exactly what needs to be investigated. People don't protest for nothing. This matter, technically should be subjudice and to preposterously declare that these workers were well paid without thorough investigations is nothing but a lame excuse. How many people someone hires does not in any way prove anything. Moreover, whether they can quit or they are bound by any contract is to be investigated, i.e., it is subjudice.

Yes, maybe they were better off after they got the job, despite probably being paid much less than what they deserve. Moreover, responsibilities and briefs always change in a project and managers have this tendency to gradually increase workload and assign new responsibilities without substantially raising the pay-scale, which leads to dissatisfaction and frustration; and when it goes beyond the limit, coupled with PLA style authoritarianism devoid of soft skills and persuasion, results in a situation where nerves snap and tempers explode.

 

[Ray]

the news is not covered up in China. and proletarians are aware of this... 'evil' of Capital and animal spirit is borderless be it in China or Zimbabwe


the guys are being brought to justice anyway. their company is a private investor from Zhejiang in S. China.

by the way in China it's deemed dangerous to work in Africa. some job ads attract applicants with "dedicated living quarters for Chinese expatriates with least exposure to 'locals'. my ex associate back from Nigeria said they (expatriates) had to walk out with bodyguards and never stayed outside at night. besides Chinese lack experience in interactions with foreigners or handling labor disputes in glbalization. I guess the 2 suspects were scared to death in front of African protesters

So, this was splashed on the Chinese media? Really? And did it say that the Zambians were shot and injured by the Chinese, if indeed they had published, because they were legitimately protesting?

Do give us a link of such a report in a Communist Chinese English newspaper.

So the Chinese think that the Africans are as good as animals and so they require bodyguards to save them from the bush (jungle)? Does that not give a hint that the Chinese have the same imperial mentality as the colonial powers?

BTW, do you have trade unions in China or is it done in the Simon Legree style?

Simon Legree was the slave driver in the book 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'.

The Chinese live in their separate quarter because they don't want to mix with people who they think are inferior (the same way they can shoot them like hunting in the bush) and also to ensure that the Chinese workers are not exposed to the 'subversive' modes of democracy. For, it they get a rub of the same, it would mean many a Tienanmen Square when adequate numbers return home!

In India, we don't think that the Africans are dangerous. That is why there is this large expatriate population in Africa.