Sitting on a gold mine, forced to live in abject poverty

Congolese often say their country is the richest in the world, given the vast amounts of gold, diamonds, oil, timber and other resources it contains. But like the rest of Congo's resources, the gold of Iga Barriere, about 25km from Bunia, does little for the people here.

War and anarchy have plagued the area for the last 10 years, but locals hope that with a cessation of fighting and the elections tomorrow, a new government and stability in this region will attract foreign mining companies and regular work.

The situation is so bad that the Belgian colonisation, otherwise generally remembered for its brutality, is remembered fondly.

'It would be good for some international companies to come,' said Jacques Djombu Sukulu Wanjou, the chief of Iga Barriere. 'During the colonial era the Belgians did a lot of good things, those working for the Belgian gold companies got paid well, they could send their children to high school.'

The situation for the gold industry is already better than it was just a few years ago, when fighting raged across this region and militia groups controlled the gold mines, stealing the gold to fund arms purchases. But now the locals are free to pan the river again and international gold buyers, mainly from India, have set up shop in the district capital of Bunia. Several South African companies recently received government contracts for prospecting the larger, industrial mines in this area. Congolese government officials say that in just one mine in Ituri, at Mongbwalu , there are an estimated 700 tonnes of gold to be mined, worth nearly US$16 billion.

But the big business, observers say, will not come until a more legitimate, elected government comes in. More stability will allow long-term contracts to be signed with foreign companies.

Still, to hope for salvation from foreign mining companies is a leap of faith. A 123-page report released last year by Human Rights Watch detailed the close links between mining companies involved in eastern Congo and the militia groups.