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The National Assembly (AN) last week gave final approval in its entirety to the Bill to Combat Illegal Mining Activity, with 106 votes in favour, 71 against and four abstentions.
The law aims to criminalize conduct that stems from the illicit exploitation of mineral resources receiving parliamentary approval at the Fifth Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the Second Legislative Session of the Fifth Legislature of the National Assembly.
The ruling MPLA MP Jorge Ribeiro Uefo defended the bill for combating illegal acts that have a negative impact on the economy and national interests, emphasizing the need to protect national resources and ban economic crime.
MP Benedito Daniel, from the mixed PRS/FNLA group, said he voted against the bill because he believes it will not solve the problem of the negative impact on the environment, nor combat violence, but will fulfill unconfessed ideological and economic interests.
Joaquim Nafoia, for UNITA, said that his political group believes that the law criminalizes the poorest, protects strong groups and inhibits productive activities such as fishing and family farming in diamond mining areas.
The government’s legislative initiative aims to discourage and criminalize conduct that stems from the illicit exploitation of mineral resources, generating harmful impacts on the environment, human life, public health, the livelihoods of communities, the economy and consequent development.
It also aims to introduce a specific legal regime to combat illegal mining activity, which establishes penalties appropriate to the seriousness of the conduct typified and the results, as well as defining rapid procedures for confiscation and appropriation in favour of the state.
The law defines rapid procedures for the confiscation and appropriation in favor of the state of the instruments and proceeds of crime.
