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M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo recently granted the BBC access to a vast mining site under their control. This site is crucial for the production of mobile phones globally, and during the visit, activity was observed across the entire expanse.
Thousands of miners populated the landscape, working in numerous pits and tunnels.
Some miners were deep underground, excavating ore with shovels. Others hauled sacks of rock containing coltan – a key component in electronic devices – onto their shoulders. They transported the ore to assembly points where others washed and filtered it manually with spades.
“We usually have more than 10,000 or more people working here daily,” Patrice Musafiri, the supervisor of the Rubaya mining site since the rebels took control in April of last year, told the BBC.
Navigating the terrain is challenging. The BBC team required walking sticks and Mr. Musafiri’s guidance to avoid falls. However, for many of the men, this is the only life they have ever known. Despite the arduous and dangerous conditions, it provides them with a livelihood.
“When we are deep in the mines, temperatures are very high – digging the mineral is also very hard… plus there can be other harmful gases,” explained mineworker Peter Osiasi to the BBC.
“Sometimes cold air is pumped inside so that we can continue working,” he added.
The young man expressed gratitude that, since starting mining five years ago, he has saved enough money for a dowry and is now married with children.
“My life has really changed. Mining has really helped me.”
The mined area, characterized by golden, scarred earth, lies within the expansive and lush Masisi Hills of North Kivu province – approximately 60km (37 miles) northwest of Goma. This region holds 15% of the world’s coltan supply and half of the DR Congo’s total deposits.
Unsurprisingly, global investors are closely monitoring this area.
Over the years, it has generated substantial wealth for various armed groups, including the army, who have controlled it at different times.
The BBC team arrived at the mine, located approximately 10km outside Rubaya town, several days after a ceasefire agreement was signed in Washington by DR Congo and Rwanda. This agreement is part of the peace process aimed at resolving three decades of instability in the region.
The roots of insecurity in eastern DR Congo are notoriously complex.
An ethnic dimension exists, with numerous rebel groups operating in the area, including an ethnic Hutu militia linked to the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Kigali believes this militia receives Congolese backing.
In Washington, both sides committed on June 27th to disarm and disengage their alleged proxies (despite denying the existence of any).
The M23, primarily led by ethnic Tutsis, was not party to the agreement. This group controls significant portions of eastern DR Congo and, since January, has seized control of Goma, the city of Bukavu, and two airports. Rwanda has been widely accused, including by the UN, of supporting the M23. However, Rwandan authorities deny providing military or financial assistance.
The US involvement in the process appears contingent on gaining access to DR Congo’s mineral resources, although specific details have not been disclosed.
“We’re getting for the United States, a lot of the mineral rights from the [DR] Congo,” stated former US President Donald Trump ahead of the signing.
During the brief visit, which lasted approximately 45 minutes, there was no indication that the chain of command was about to change.
The supervisor, appointed by the M23, emphasized the reorganization of the Rubaya site over the past year. He stated that the rebel group had established security measures to allow miners to work without fear, specifying that no armed individuals were permitted on the site.
“We have already solved so many issues,” Mr. Musafiri asserted.
“Presently we have a mining department that regulates and monitors safety issues and also resolves internal disputes within the mines. If a tunnel becomes dangerous, people are told to leave to avoid accidents.”
“People from different groups come here to mine daily and others to buy the minerals and now we have a huge market in Goma where they can resell what they buy here.”
In December, a UN experts’ report detailed how the M23 generates hundreds of thousands of dollars monthly by taxing coltan. According to the report, much of this revenue was sent directly to Rwanda, allegations that both the M23 and Kigali deny.
Surrounded by colleagues in jeans, sweaters, and wellington boots, all of whom purchase permits to work at the site, Mr. Osiasi confirmed that conditions had improved.
“Business is going on very well here because we have at least some semblance of peace, but the pay is very low. We are paid very little money,” the miner stated.
The M23’s seizure of significant portions of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and the Congolese army’s subsequent retreat coincided with the Trump administration.
Political analyst Akramm Tumsifu suggests that DR Congo decided to leverage its rich mineral reserves as a bargaining chip to secure US assistance, particularly military support, which it had sought for months.
With a tentative peace process underway, Congolese authorities are hopeful that American firms will make “massive investments” in the mining sector, which is currently dominated by Chinese companies, he told the BBC.
US companies are reportedly already exploring investment opportunities in Rubaya’s mining sector.
The Rubaya supervisor indicated that investment would be welcomed, but only initiatives aimed at bolstering the local economy – through job creation, schools, and hospitals – would be permitted.
“Any foreign investor can come here, as long as they come with development for our people and increase daily wages for the miners,” Mr. Musafiri stated.
Despite the country’s vast natural resources, most mining communities lack basic infrastructure, including accessible roads to the mines.
Mr. Tumsifu believes that the presence of American investors could also serve as a “deterrent against fighting or a resurgence of other armed groups.”
However, it remains unclear how or with whom an investor would conduct business, given the M23’s continued control in the east.
A parallel mediation effort led by Qatar, involving direct talks between the armed groups and the Congolese government, may provide further clarity in the coming months.
The M23, part of the broader Congo River Alliance, contends that the Washington-backed deal failed to address the underlying causes of the long-standing conflict. The group maintains that it took up arms to protect the rights of the minority Tutsi population in DR Congo.
As the warring parties attempt to negotiate their preferred paths to peace, local residents at the Rubaya mine, like others in eastern DR Congo, are hoping for a definitive end to the fighting and bloodshed that has forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.
“My appeal to fellow young men and our leaders is to keep and maintain peace in our area,” stated Mr. Osiasi.
As he prepared to return to hours of digging, he added: “I also appeal to the owners of the mines to increase our pay because it’s very little.”
Additional reporting by the BBC’s Robert Kiptoo and Hassan Lali
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
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