An angry mob violently attacked the site of VALE mining company in N'Zérékoré.
Riots broke out throughout much of the day on Tuesday in Zogota village, a locality within N'Zérékoré city in the forest region located more than one thousand kilometers south east of Conakry. Indeed, local people furious on non-recruitment of children within the Brazilian mining company, Vale, allegedly ransacked the facilities and chased the workers according reliable sources.
The reasons for the anger of the population are mainly due to non-recruitment of Aboriginal children within the Brazilian mining giant Vale. "Initially, our youth enjoyed a significant recruitment from this company but for some time but now only young people from Upper Guinea are employed there. Vale received instructions from the new authorities to recruit only young men being imposed." Said local inhabitants.

According to a local journalist reached by telephone, riots took place in Zogota in the sub-prefecture Kobéla, located more than forty kilometers from the capital, N'Zérékoré. "The community of Zogota revolted this morning against the mining company Vale, ransacking and its facilities. Expatriates working on the site had to flee, "he said.

Continuing, our interlocutor said that the tension was very lively in the early morning. "There are no injuries but the people were unhappy. They require the recruitment of their children within the mining company because the mine site is located in their locality. There was action but in vain, "he said.

Reached by telephone, the Prefect of N'Zerekore, Sanoussy Hassan Camara, did not deny. "It was not a small movement. For eight hours, all the authorities were on hand. The police did not react but the tension was there and some armed citizens, "he said.

To believe the Prefect of N'Zerekore, local populations of Zogota Kobéla are manipulated by their nationals in Conakry who pull the strings, demanding jobs and schools for their communities, while the mining company is in the exploration phase.

"In collaboration with the Governor, we restored calm on the ground. We will continue discussions to find a solution.
"This event has its genesis in the failure of Alpha Conde to lead the mining sector reforms he promised during the presidential campaign," said a specialist Guinean mining sector.
At the beginning there were no injuries and no loss of life, certainly, but the damage would be considerable.
Three days later at night (1a m) police, gendarmerie and soldiers surrounded the village arrested, killed at least 5 people and wounded many others.
This situation had been denounced by human rights organizations.
According the latest news from the presidency, the prefect and the governor of N’zérékoré are in Conakry for investigations about the tragedy.


Mamadou Dian Donghol Diallo.
The africanews reporter in Guinea.