On Thursday morning, Nov. 2, 2023, several youths erected barricades to bloc the mining road between Dapilon (port site) to Filibowal (mine site) to show their discontentment. These youths are angry and ask for contracts with a mining company operating in the area.

Interviewed on the spot, one of the demonstrators said "We are young and have tried many times to find a common ground with the authorities in order get awarded contracts with mining companies. Unfortunately, we have not won the case so far, and it is not the company that refuses, rather it is the authorities in Boké that do not want to support us. Else, we have a securtiy firm worth of the name and some of our security agents have been on duty for two months without being paid. We pay them ourselves, but if we do not have contracts, we cannot keep paying them".

He further said "We suspect the secretary general of local collectivities to favor a certain Kalabane to the detriment of around a hundred of youths well organized. We have had talks with the authorities for two months without any success. According to the company, it is only waiting for the approval of the authorites, and we wonder why the authorities do not want us to be awarded contracts by the mining company, CDM - Chine".

Tahirou BAH, another local youth leader cannot accept the fact that the authorities at the grassroot level violate local content law. He remains self-assured "the temporary revolt of the conscious youth of this crossroads city has paralyzed all the activities along the mining road Dapilon - Filibowal. If they want demonstrations to stop, they will have to employ the youths coming from the impacted communities. This is what they do not want, they want peace but they do not want to create the conditions needed to bring peace".

To bring back peace in this mining area, several members of the security forces have been deployed. For the moment, all mining activities have been disrupted along the corridor, which could lead to consequences as regards production".