China promises help over shooting of Zambian miners

Oct 19, 2010, 13:01 GMT

Beijing - China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday promised to cooperate with Zambian authorities over the shooting of a group of Zambian miners by Chinese coal mine managers.

'The Chinese embassy in Zambia has taken timely measures to cope with the incident, such as to direct relevant companies to properly handle disputes and to visit the victims and their family,' ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told reporters.

Ma said the problem at the Chinese Collum Coal Mine was 'largely resolved' but he said the Chinese government would continue 'cooperating closely with Zambia.'

Zambian police arrested two Chinese mine managers on Monday after they 'accidentally wounded some Zambian miners during a clash sparked by disputes over working conditions' at the mine in the southern town of Sinazongwe, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The Zambian news website zambianwatchdog.com said 10 miners and one bystander were injured in the clash at the Chinese-run coal mine last week.

The miners had been 'presenting their grievances of poor working conditions' to the managers, Zambian Watchdog said.

Local residents protested and blocked the main road to the mine after the shooting, it said. Author: Bill Smith

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