4 Nov 2011

RWANDA / DRC MINERALS

More than 85 tons of minerals smuggled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo were returned by the government of Rwanda at a ceremony held in Gisenye. The minerals, mainly coltan and cassiterite, had been impounded by Rwandan authorities and were given back to the DRC in a sign of improved relations between the two countries. MONUSCO

Posted at: November 4, 2011 12:06 pm

Duration: 01:56

Available in: SD

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STORY: RWANDA / DRC MINERALS
TRT: 1.56
SOURCE: MONUSCO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 3 NOVEMBER 2011, GISENYI, RWANDA
 
SHOTLIST:
1. Wide shot, Rwanda/ DR Congo border
2. Tilt down, man displaying mineral crystals 
3. Close up, people looking on
4. Close up, opening mineral sack
5. Close up, sifting through mineral crystals
6. Close up, Rwandan army officer
7. Med shot, signing hand-over documents
8. Close up, DR Congo representative 
9. Med shot, handing over of documents
10. Med shot, officials
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Stanisslas Kamanzi, Rwandan Minister for Natural Resources:
"If any illicit, any illicit trade of minerals has happened in the past, it was illicit and the government has consistently ensured that it should be prevented. And this does not only apply to minerals but it applies to any other goods."
12. Close up, minerals sack
13. SOUNDBITE (French) Kongolo Mvita Moise, DR Congo Representative: 
"We are working together, the DR Congo and Rwanda to stop the mineral fraud activities. The minerals certified by the Congolese authorities' will be allowed to pass into Rwanda and both ways. So any minerals without documents will be impounded."
14. Med shot, Rwandan soldier on surveillance
15. Med shot, two women carrying sacks of charcoal
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Stanisslas Kamanzi, Rwandan Minister For Natural Resources:
"We are a country that abides to the rule of law, and abide by good governance and abide by international regulations relevant to trade. So I want to just to remove those allegations that there has been any such trade that the government would condone or support."
17. Various shots, minerals coltan and cassiterite

STORYLINE:

More than 85 tons of minerals smuggled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were returned by the government of Rwanda at a ceremony held at Gisenye in the district of Rubavu. The minerals, mainly coltan and cassiterite, had been impounded by Rwandan authorities and were given back to the DRC in a sign of improved relations between the two countries.

The return of the materials follows new international regulations aimed at cleaning up the mineral sector.

DR Congo's mineral wealth has been a major factor in years of conflict. Armed groups, local and foreign, have seized control of many mines in the east, bordering Rwanda and few Congolese have benefited from their country's vast mineral wealth.

Rwanda's Minister for Natural Resources Stanisslas Kamanzi handed the minerals, loaded in five lorries, to a Congolese representative. Both officials agreed that any minerals seized without authorized documents of trade would be impounded and returned to the DR Congo as an on-going agreement between both countries.

SOUNDBITE (English) Stanisslas Kamanzi, Rwandan Minister for Natural Resources:
"If any illicit, any illicit trade of minerals has happened in the past, it was illicit and the government has consistently ensured that it should be prevented. And this does not only apply to minerals but it applies to any other goods."

The DRC representative said that both governments had agreed on working together to stop the illegal activities.

SOUNDBITE (French) Kongolo Mvita Moise, DR Congo Representative: 
"We are working together, the DR Congo and Rwanda to stop the mineral fraud activities. The minerals certified by the Congolese authorities' will be allowed to pass into Rwanda and both ways. So any minerals without documents will be impounded."

SOUNDBITE (English) Stanisslas Kamanzi, Rwandan Minister for Natural Resources:
"We are a country that abides to the rule of law, and abide by good governance and abide by international regulations relevant to trade. So I want to just to remove those allegations that there has been any such trade that the government would condone or support."

The handover is a sign of the greatly improved relations between the two countries that have often been bitter enemies. Rwanda has twice invaded DR Congo saying it was fighting rebel groups based there but its army has been accused of looting minerals during the conflict in which an estimated five million people died.