Maiko Zulu released after KCM protest

Activist and Musician Maiko Zulu was yesterday released after he was briefly detained by Police for staging a lone protest against Vedanta Resources at the UK High Commission in Lusaka.

Plain clothed Zambia Police Officers picked up the Maiko who had staged a lone protest demanding for GRZ to deal with Vedanta owner Anil Agarwal
Maiko displayed placards on which he called on the Zambian Government to hold Vedanta accountable for polluting the Kafue River before it delists from the London Stock Exchange.

He arrived with a yellow banner calling for justice against the Vedanta boss but before long, uninformed police officers arrived and told him to leave since he had no permit to protest.

The officers then took him to police headquarters before taking to Kabwata police station.

In May this year, The UK’s Opposition party the Labour Party called for Vedanta to be delisted from the London Stock Exchange following the death of 13 people during violent protests against the mining giant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu.

The statement from the senior Labour MP, who highlighted that campaigners and international NGOs like Amnesty International have accused Vedanta of a string of human rights and environmental abuses in India, Zambia and across the globe, came as protesters are preparing to stage a major protest against Vedanta outside the Indian High Commission in London.

“I have been released from Kabwata Police where I was taken after being interrogated at Force HQ following the protest I had at the British High Commission against Vedanta (KCM) owner Anil Agarwal,” he said.

“Vedanta is being de-listed from the London Stock Exchange following serious crimes against indigenous people of India and the pollution of our own Kafue River which is a source of livelihood for thousands of peasants,” Maiko posted.

“The inequality that multinationals are creating cannot be left unchecked and we will continue standing up and facing arrests for the good of our people. Our fellow protesters were shot at by police in India.”

Source: Lusaka Times