DRC gov’t says 12 people died after Angola mine tailings leak

Environment minister says Congo would ask for reparations for the damage caused without specifying an amount.

Twelve people died and 4,400 fell sick in southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following a tailings leak from the Catoca diamond mine in Angola in July, the DRC’s environment minister has said. After a visit to Kasai province, where the Tshikapa River turned red and many fish died, Eve Bazaiba also said on Thursday that the DRC would ask for reparations for the damage caused but could not yet say how much it would request. The DRC will seek reparations in line with the “polluter pays” principle, Bazaiba said.