1. CASM 2006 November 11-15, 2006 Antsirabe MADAGASCAR
THEMATIC WORKING GROUP # 2
Chair: Gotthard WALSER
The role of ASM in civil strife and the reconstruction process – Focus on African Great Lakes Region and West African experiences

2. KEY QUESTIONS
THE THREATS: What are the key problems issues, risks and hot spots?
TO: Where has some success been achieved in addressing them?
THE OPPORTIUNITIES: What actions should we encourage CASM to undertake to seek progress and solutions?

3. THE THREATS: What are the key problems issues, risks and hot spots?
1. Economic issues:
Unemployment – few alternatives other than mining
Poverty & survival is a fundamental issue
Alternative livelihood options must be effective and economically attractive
High commodity prices encourage illegal activity
Conflict/poverty / corruption / illegal activity are a vicious circle. Need to transform into a virtuous circle.
Sources of capital needed
Access to markets, added value
Threats identified have been grouped in three clusters:
Those that have to do with economic issues,
Conflict issues
Socio environmental issues
Massive unemployment
Poverty rampant
It has been very much emphasized that alternative livelihood to mining.... This is important to ensure that people stay out of mining but also that they don’t take the arms again.... G
Important percentage of the value of the good is lost on the road to markets, paying taxes ....

4. THE THREATS: What are the key problems issues, risks and hot spots?
2. Conflict issues
ASM-LSM conflicts, including SOEs
Security companies on concessions – Voluntary Principles on Human Rights & Security
Need to focus more on dialogue rather than use of force
Need to regulate the presence of public security forces in mines
Control of arms trade
Conflict around mining activities
Conflict in the broader term.

5. THE THREATS: What are the key problems issues, risks and hot spots?
3. Socio-environmental issues
Population explosion leads to resource limitations leads to conflict
Lack of education reduces access to alternatives
Ethnicity
Environmental impacts

6. TO: Where has some success been achieved in addressing them?
1. Finance
Access to capital
INICA have looked at microfinance windows
Durban Process provides microfinance
However microfinance not successful on the mine site itself (cf Tanzania women mining busns)
2. Employment
Recruitment of artisans by companies (e.g. Anvil Mining Kinsevere)
3. Military
Negotiations between miners & militia (Colbia)
Disarmament & demilitarisation of mines
Again, organised them into three groups:
In response to the lack of capital mentionned ealier, participants have mentionned several successful initiatives in terms of micro credit
Microcredit to miners : NO No. Tried many times. Does not work. Beside there is money circulating.
In response to the problem of unemployment :
Concerning the military issue

7. OPPORTUNITIES: What actions should we encourage CASM to undertake in the search for progress?
Need to focus on small wins that can be adapted
Assist with the creation of co-operatives
Stop trying to find impossible economic alternatives, establish ASM zones (??)
Target very low earners for alternative livelihoods
Focus on chain – identify points where greater share can go to miners
ASM is already a

8. OPPORTUNITIES: What actions should we encourage CASM to undertake in the search for progress?
Distinguish between different types of miners, their needs and potential
Reorganise the core beneficiaries of ASM to make it more ‘professional’
Lobby organisations working on demobilisation to enable ex-combatants to transfer to legal ASM
Lobby anti-mining NGOs to engage constructively with ASM communities
Global agreement between LSM & ASM

9. OPPORTUNITIES: What actions should we encourage CASM to undertake in the search for progress?
Support transparency initiatives and their application to ASM
Encourage the application of the Voluntary Principles of Human Rights & Security
Assist government agencies such as SAESSCAM
Assist with sustainable social development projects on the ground in selected areas
Assist with formalisation projects on the ground in selected areas.

10. OPPORTUNITIES: What actions should we encourage CASM to undertake in the search for progress?
Projects to provide equipment, training
Support diggers to gain independence from (intermediary) traders
Facilitate cross-border coordination

11. ADDITIONAL POINTS
Already many initiatives under implementation in some areas (e.g. Katanga..): what would be CASM role/involvement in order to not increase confusion?

12. Focus on DRC in the first place
Undertake a serie of regional workshops to :
Improve coordination between stakeholders (ASM, LSM, Government, NGOs) – map who is doing what where -avoid duplication – develop a practical plan of action
Share good practices