53. An issue that arose repeatedly during the visit was the regulation of miningactivities. In recent years, Madagascar has seen a rapid increase in mining permits, whichhas led to an increase in the number of protests against mining operations. The conflict thatreceived the most attention during the visit concerned a mining permit in Soamahamaninato a Chinese company, Jiuxing Mines, which was the subject of protests throughout 2016.In July 2016, a coalition of organizations sent a letter to the President of Madagascarrequesting that the Government cancel the mining permit on the grounds, among others,that the permit was issued without the participation and consultation of the localcommunities and that it would cause environmental harm, including to a tapia forest. TheGovernment suspended the mining activities but did not cancel the permit, and weeklyprotests continued. At two protests in September, the Government arrested five persons and47 Sönke Kreft, David Eckstein and Inga Melchior, “Global Climate Risk Index 2017: who suffers mostfrom extreme weather events? Weather-related loss events in 2015 and 1996 to 2015” (Bonn,GermanWatch, November 2016), pp. 7 and 13.48 See “Madagascar: Grand Sud Drought”, Office of the Resident Coordinator, situation report No. 4(December 2016).49 See UNDP country programme document for Madagascar, para. 11.50 See Fifth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, pp. 66-67.charged them with a breach of internal State security, unauthorized demonstrations anddestruction of public property. They were given one-year suspended sentences and releasedfrom detention in November 2016.
53. An issue that arose repeatedly during the visit was the regulation of mining activities. In recent years, Madagascar has seen a rapid increase in mining permits, which has led to an increase in the number of protests against mining operations. The conflict that received the most attention during the visit concerned a mining permit in Soamahamanina to a Chinese company, Jiuxing Mines, which was the subject of protests throughout 2016. In July 2016, a coalition of organizations sent a letter to the President of Madagascar requesting that the Government cancel the mining permit on the grounds, among others, that the permit was issued without the participation and consultation of the local communities and that it would cause environmental harm, including to a tapia forest. The Government suspended the mining activities but did not cancel the permit, and weekly protests continued. At two protests in September, the Government arrested five persons and 47 Sönke Kreft, David Eckstein and Inga Melchior, “Global Climate Risk Index 2017: who suffers most from extreme weather events? Weather-related loss events in 2015 and 1996 to 2015” (Bonn, GermanWatch, November 2016), pp. 7 and 13. 48 See “Madagascar: Grand Sud Drought”, Office of the Resident Coordinator, situation report No. 4 (December 2016). 49 See UNDP country programme document for Madagascar, para. 11. 50 See Fifth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, pp. 66-67. charged them with a breach of internal State security, unauthorized demonstrations and destruction of public property. They were given one-year suspended sentences and released from detention in November 2016.