Gold Rush in Chad

For some, it was an answer to a better life. Refugees who have fled Sudan to Chad since 2003 in the Darfur crisis, are beginning to run out of UN aide, and returning to Sudan is still not an option. They see gold as the answer to pay smugglers for passage to Europe where they hope to find peace and a chance for a new life.

Unfortunately, with any kind of gold rush, conflicts and fighting are inevitable. This is especially true in a remote area that has drawn not only refugees, but gangs, traffickers and rebels. Many people have died in ethnic clashes. Last year, 25 died. This past January, a clash between Arab miners from Libya and Chadian miners from the Ouaddai community around Abeche left 30 dead. In recent months, the Chadian government declared a state of emergence for the northern regions of Chad and sort of “closed” the border with Libya.

Not only is there violence to deal with in the search for gold, but there are numerous accidents that occur as a result of unsafe mining practices especially in the illegal mines. On Sept 26th, news spread about a cave-in at a mine near the Libyan border. At least 52 died in the collapse and 21 are seriously injured.

So there is gold in Chad, but as seems to be the timeless case for wealth seekers, it seems to have brought more conflict and death instead of hope of prosperity.