Gold madness
As the price of gold has risen in recent years, many Chinese have swarmed the gold rush bandwagon in hopes of being lifted out of poverty and getting rich quick.
It's estimated that more than 10,000 Chinese are engaged in gold mining in the Republic of Ghana, the world's second-largest gold producer after South Africa, with known gold reserves reaching 985 tons.
However, due to Ghana's intensified crackdown on illegal gold mining and increasing incidents of robbery, many Chinese find their dreams are out of reach.
On October 11, 16-year old gold miner Chen Long was shot dead during a joint action by Ghana's police and immigration officials to investigate illegal gold mining by foreigners in the Ashanti region.
Some media reported that Chen fired to resist arrest. However, Chen Yufeng, Chen Long's father who also worked there, said his son was found holding only an iPad after he was shot, the Beijing News reported.
During the two-day action, a total of 101 Chinese nationals were detained by police over allegations of gold mining without work or residence permits.
The Chinese embassy in Ghana responded immediately and requested a thorough investigation into the case. By October 17, all Chinese were bailed out.
The past year saw a series of such arrests, and it is reported that police took miners' mobile phones, computers and cash, and burned plants and equipment.
Chen is not the only Chinese gold miner to be killed in Ghana. Violent enforcement and robberies are not uncommon. Despite this, some are still risking their lives to reap high profits.
It is common to see factories that produce mining equipment and posters advertising Ghana work visa assistance in Shanglin county of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which a large number of Chinese miners in Ghana call home.
Following Chen's death, the Chinese embassy in Ghana urged Chinese to obey local laws and be vigilant about security risks.
Lan Yuwu, a gold mining boss in Ghana, said because of the benefits small gold mines have brought to local authorities, tribe chiefs and landlords, it is unlikely that they will be eliminated any time soon.
Global Times - Agencies
