Post #235

❓Then Who Will Make the Mithril Coat? The Chinese Embassy in the CAR warns its citizens that the gold rush in the Central African Republic could turn them into “mining slaves.” 🔸The Chinese are one of the largest groups of foreigners arriving in Africa to try their luck at artisanal and often illegal gold mining. 🔸 For many countries - Mali, DRC, Ghana - the endless influx of Chinese enthusiasts has already become a disaster in terms of illegal mining, and Ghana has even restricted the issuance of visas to Chinese nationals. 🔸 Illegal mining is dangerous in any place. While since 2013, there has also been civil conflict in the CAR.Chinese operators have already paid a high price: in March 2023, nine Chinese workers were killed at the Chimbolo mine near Bambari, and since then there have been even more attacks on Chinese-run businesses. Beijing's unusually sharp warning reflects the broader reality in the CAR: there is a lot of gold, governance is weak, and violence is a tool of business. Devils Below