DRC: 18 miners killed, Amnesty accuses M23 of abuses in mines
Amnesty International reports documenting 18 executions of artisanal miners, as well as instances of torture, forced labor, and mineral trafficking in areas controlled by the M23.
Eighteen artisanal miners were killed in Rubaya and Lomera in abuses attributed to the M23 by Amnesty International. In a report published on Monday, September 21, the organization states that some documented violations, including executions and acts of torture, could constitute war crimes.
The detailed toll indicates that ten workers were beaten to death, two others were shot, and six miners were abducted and later found dead. The investigation is based on 26 interviews with miners, well owners, industry experts, and relatives of victims, supplemented by the analysis of photographs and videos from the mining areas.
In Rubaya, North Kivu, more than twenty workers were reportedly held in an underground cell and beaten multiple times, according to testimonies collected by Amnesty. Some miners claim they were forced to remain underground for over a week. Others report being threatened with being sent to military training camps if they did not pay money to regain their freedom.
The organization also accuses the M23 of facilitating the illegal transport of gold and coltan to Rwanda. In Lomera, South Kivu, bags containing gold-bearing soil were reportedly transported by boat to Kamembe in western Rwanda. Amnesty also claims to have gathered testimonies indicating the presence of Rwandan nationals involved in the operation or security of certain sites.
The issue extends beyond the specific mining areas involved. Rubaya accounts for approximately 15% of the global supply of tantalum, a metal extracted from coltan and widely used in electronics. Amnesty is calling on states and companies to suspend their purchases of gold and coltan from Rwanda until supply chains can ensure that minerals from areas controlled by the M23 are excluded.
Neither the M23 nor the Rwandan government had responded to Amnesty’s requests for comment at the time of the report’s publication. Kigali has long denied allegations of support for the M23 and exploitation of Congolese minerals, while the UN, the United States, and Congolese authorities accuse it of backing the armed group.
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