The people of the villages of Bandia, Kirène, Séniya, Kinabur and localities in the communes of Diass and Sindia have decided to join forces. Gathered around an inter-village committee, they now want to speak with one voice in the face of the nuisances caused by quarries and the environmental and social challenges associated with mining.

The new consultation framework has been equipped with an advocacy document aimed at municipalities, the administration, and businesses. The objective is to ensure that operators respect the commitments made by them, including the rehabilitation of sites after exploitation, the repair of roads damaged by trucks, and the reduction of noise and air pollution.

"Quarries are not the enemy. They must work in harmony with the population to reduce nuisances and become involved in local development," said Diass Mayor Mamadou Ndione, who promised to represent the communities' voice to the state and investors.

According to the Bandia monitoring committee, coordinated by Assane Dione, the consequences for residents are dire: walls cracked by explosions, lung diseases caused by dust, beekeeping abandoned due to fleeing bees, and impassable roads endangering patients who have to be evacuated. "Companies make a lot of money from our land, but in return, the people don't see their benefits," he laments.

Municipalities now want to play a catalytic role by coordinating actions between communities and operators. They intend to direct social investments by businesses toward local priorities: water, road infrastructure, energy, and the empowerment of women and youth.

This initiative, supported by partners such as Oxfam and Enda, marks a new stage in the citizens' struggle for sustainable and equitable development in the Diass mining area.