Maravi

Collum shooters should be tried in Zambia - Dr Chiputa

Collum shooters should be tried in Zambia - Dr Chiputa
By Agness Changala
Thu 28 Oct. 2010, 03:59 CAT

UNIVERSITY of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) president Dr Euston Chiputa has charged that the recent shooting incident that occurred at the Chinese-run coal mine in Sinazongwe district has exposed the country’s failure to enforce its own laws.

Dr Chiputa said it was unacceptable that foreign investors coming into the country should begin to shoot at innocent Zambians. He said the two Chinese managers should be tried by the Zambian courts and if found guilty, they should be sentenced.

“I strongly disagree with fellow Zambians who are arguing that the two should be deported. They must face the law,” he said.

“Perhaps if they were diplomats they would be deported, but they are not.”

He said it was also unfortunate that leaders in Zambia only reacted when someone had been injured.

Dr Chiputa, like many others, recalled that a few years ago, former Southern Province minister Alice Simango shed tears at the pathetic conditions under which miners were operating at Collum Coal mine.

He observed that the shooting happened because leaders in the government had forgotten about the plight of the workers. Dr Chiputa said if the problems of poor conditions of service were looked into, the shooting would not have taken place.

On some government officials who were accusing the opposition and others commenting on the matter of being political, Dr Chiputa said being political on such a matter was inevitable.

“...And all Zambians who feel aggrieved deserve to talk about it,” said Dr Chiputa.
Two weeks ago, eleven workers at the Chinese-run Collum Coal Mine in Sinazongwe district were allegedly shot at and wounded by managers after they protested over poor conditions of service.

Among those who were shot and wounded was 20-year-old Vincent Chenjela, a grade eight pupil at Nkandabbwe Basic School in Sinazongwe. Chenjela went to work at the mine to raise school fees.

Labels: CHINESE COLLUM COAL MINE, EUSTON CHIPUTA, UNZALARU, VINCENT CHENJELA

posted by MrK @ 6:59 PM