A Chinese-run gold mine in Congo’s Okapi Wildlife Reserve is decimating the environment, despite its protected status. For eight years, Kimia Mining has expanded operations, polluting rivers, destroying forests, and displacing wildlife, locals say.
The reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, shelters endangered species like the okapi. Though mining is prohibited, boundary changes have allowed exploitation. A government memo indicates the boundaries were wrongly adjusted, but action to halt mining remains unclear.
Residents face lost income, infertile soil, and increased poaching. Conservationists call for immediate enforcement of protections, fearing further damage to one of the world’s most vital rainforests.
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