Officially the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum claims it has stopped smuggling of precious stones. On the ground, the situation is different.
Armed groups and smugglers have clashed with security forces. In Badakhshan, fighting has been very bloody and many Afghan soldiers have been killed. Security forces say armed groups are active in the province because of its immense natural wealth. According to Ghulam Haidar Haidari, at the Shaheen Military Base, the fight is over lapis lazuli and the mafia are trying to keep open the routes for smuggling precious stones. He claims there are expatriate insurgents operating in Badakhshan and also locals who have the support of Afghan politicians.
“The government should take serious action because the crisis in Badakhshan is taking the lives of many youths,” Haidari says.
The provincial police commander General Babajan has also frequently blamed the current insecurity in Badakhshan on the fight to control the mines. In an interview to Mandgar (a daily published in Kabul) he said, “There is mafia for narcotics in Badakhshan; there is a war over mines. Every side is trying to use the mines for private interests. Powerful people including government authorities are among them.”
In a visit to Badakhshan, President Ashraf Ghani said there was a criminal economy at work; irresponsible armed individuals, armed Taleban activity and international terrorists who are working for an international mafia.
There are also reports of worsening security from Nuristan province though it is not clear whether that war is only over precious stones. It probably has a link. The authorities in Nuristan say more than 300 groups are doing illegal mining business.
Revenue earner
Ashuqullah, head of mines’ department in Nuristan, says when the government started mining two years ago, there were 371 groups who were mining in a haphazard way. These groups are still active, he says. Mining in Nuristan has the potential to make the country rich. Sadullah Nuristani, the head of the provincial council says, “If these mines were properly used, not only the local people, other parts of the country would benefit.”
Governor of Nuristan Hafez Abdul Qayum urges his people to stop illegal mining, which only benefit the smugglers of precious stones. “Precious stones are a big portion of Afghanistan’s wealth and should be extracted legally and taxes would increase our national revenue and improve our economy,” he says.
Meanwhile, according to reports from Helmand, marble is being mined illegally in Helmand. Security has been getting worse in parts of the province. Haji Mohammad Karim who is the head of the provincial council says that there are illegal mines in Khan Neshin district. The marble is smuggled out of the country. “Lack of security has aided the smugglers,” he said. “Smugglers can do what they wish.”
Lalgul Kargar is in charge of a marble factory in Helmand. He explains that they receive 50 tonnes of marble every day. Some 60 workers employed in the factory cut and polish the marble. He claims that if the extraction was strictly monitored by the government, there would be more work for local people. “Our factory is the only one that processes marble stones. All other mining is illegal. Were it legal there would be many factories like ours,” Lalgul Kargar says.
Helmand Governor Mirza Khan Rahimi admits there is widespread illegal mining of marble. He blames it on “powerful individuals” and “companies that are not professional but have contracts with Ministry of Mines”. In his opinion, the ministry must have contracts only with professionally managed mining companies. “They have the technical know-how and expertise,” he explains.
He says the provincial government is working on a plan to stop all illegal mining.
Dawood Shah Saba, the minister for mines and petroleum, has said unless it is stopped, illegal mining like narcotics can become a source of income for groups opposed to the government.
Means of livelihood
Two years ago, the ministry declared that provinces from Kunar to Khost and Paktika have rich deposits of precious stones. There are some 10 million tonnes of chromite and other valuable minerals in the districts of Speral, Tanai, and Dwa Manda in Khost, which are extracted illegally and smuggled across the border to Miranshah and eventually to Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest port. Locals says there is smuggling also into China. Chromite is used in weapons manufacture.
Nazarjan who is a resident of Tanai district claims chromite is found easily, and extracted by locals. The government should set up chromite polishing plants, which would stop the smuggling and give many jobs to local youth, he feels.
“Every person is extracting chromite on his land and taking it across the border to sell,” says Nazarjan.
According to Engineer Layeq, the head of mines department in Khost, illegal extraction and smuggling of chromite has decreased. He claims the province now has stocks of one million tonnes of chromite, mica and other natural material.
Trade and business organisations reckon that Afghanistan loses an estimated 9 million USD worth of precious stones to smugglers every year. Mining and sale of precious stones should be carefully monitored. According to Azerakhsh Hafezi in the Chamber of Commerce & Industries, the negligence has led to truck-loads of crudely mined lapis lazuli being taken out of Badakhshan.
Follow TKG on Twitter & Facebook
