The M23 rebel group has accused the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of turning the deaths of miners into a political issue.
Last weekend, two hundred people died in the Rubaya area of ​​the DRC after a mine collapsed in the area.
In their statement, the M23 rebel group said that the Kinshasa government is evading responsibility for the deaths due to its own negligence.
The group’s spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, said there have been many deaths from mine collapses in the past, but the exact number of deaths is still unknown, and the government has yet to address the issue of mine safety.
“Instead of making this issue political, the government should address its shortcomings,” said Kanyuka.
The group says the deaths in the Rubaya mines were caused by landslides after heavy rains and says they will oversee the treatment of the injured.
The M23 rebel group captured the town of Rubaya in 2024 and has been overseeing mining activities in the area, despite a government ban.
Efforts to maintain peace in eastern DRC have not yet succeeded, due to tensions between armed groups and the country’s government
By Anthony Solly
