BBC gets rare access to mobile phones that nourish mine

The M23 emerged in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, recently allowed the BBC to visit a huge mining -saight under their control, which is vital for the production of mobile phones of the world – and no person was over its huge space.

Thousands of miners scattered landscape covered with pits and tunnels.

Some of them were deeply underground red with shovels, others raised bags of the rock containing a colon used to create numerous electronic devices on their shoulders. Then they took it to the assembly points, where the other wash and filtered it from the shovels and manually.

“Usually we have more than 10,000 or more people working here daily,” said the BBC, which ruled Rubaya mining, as the rebels took control of last April, BBC.

It is difficult to navigate – our team needed the help of walking, as well as the leadership of Mr. Musafira to stop us so that we fall – but for most men this is the only life they knew. It can be difficult and dangerous, but it allows them to make money on a small life.

“If we are deep in the mines, the temperature is very high – the mineral digging is also very rigid … Plus there may be other harmful gases,” said Mineworker Peter Osiasi BBC.

“Sometimes the cold air is pumped inside so we can continue to work,” he said.

But the young man said he was grateful that he began to extract five years ago, he managed to save some money for dowry and is now married to children.

“My life has really changed. The prey really helped me.”

The United Earth’s land, which they are scales in the wide, lush hills from the North Kiva province – about 60 km (37 miles) northwest of Homo – and occupies 15% of the World Caltan deliveries and half the total deposits of Dr. Congo.

Not surprisingly, world investors are in this field.

For many years, he provided a huge wealth of various armed groups that overseen it at different times, including the army.

We arrived in a mine, which is about 10 km outside Rubai, a few days after the cessation of fire in Washington, Dr. Congo and Rwanda as part of a peace process aimed at stopping three decades of instability in the region.

The roots of uncertainty in the east of Dr. Congo are known to be complex.

There is an ethnic dimension, and many insurgent groups are here – including the Hutu ethnic police, related to the 1994 Rwanda genocide, which, according to Kigali, has Congolese support.

In Washington, both sides were committed on June 27 to disarm and disable their alleged proxies (despite the fact that they deny the presence).

M23 did not participate in transactions. He mainly heads ethnic Tutsis, he controls most of the East Dr. Congo – and since January he has taken control of Homo, Bukava and two airports. Many of Rwanda are accused of the UN in support of the M23. However, the authorities there are denied military or financial assistance.

The US involvement in this process seems to depend on the access to Dr. Congo’s mineral resources – though nothing has been shown.

“We get in the US, a lot of rights to the minerals from (D -R),” US President Donald Trump said on the eve of signing.

During our short visit – we were allowed to access about 45 minutes – there were no hints that the team chain was going to change.

The head, appointed M23, sought to explain how the setting in Rubai was reorganized over the last year and how the rebel group brought security to allow miners to work without fear – indicating that the site was not allowed armed men.

“We have already decided so many questions,” Mr. Musafira said.

“Currently, we have a mining that regulates and monitors security problems, and solves internal disputes in the mines. When the tunnel becomes dangerous, people are told to avoid accidents.

“People from different groups come here daily and others to buy minerals, and now we have a huge market in a hid, where they can resell what they buy here.”

In December, the UN expert report reported in detail how M23 makes hundreds of thousands of dollars every month from the Kolton tax, most were sent directly to Ruanda – allegations of both M23 and Kigali.

Surrounded by their colleagues wearing jeans, sweaters and boots Velington, they all buy work permits, Mr. Asiaci agreed that the conditions were the best.

“The business is going here very well, because we have at least some kind of peace, but the payment is very low. We pay very little money,” Shakhtar said.

The second term Trump coincided with the confiscation of M23 most of the provinces of the North Kiva and the Southern Kiva and the degrading retreat of the Congolese army.

Political analyst Akram Tummif says D -Congo decided to use its rich mineral reserves as a trade to get help in the US – for months she has resorted to military support.

As he said that the great hope of the Pancakers’ authorities, he said the BBC, was that US companies would be able to make “mass investments” in his mining sector, which currently prevails Chinese companies.

It is reported that US companies are already trying to earn the opportunity to invest in the Rubaya mining sector.

Rubai’s warden said the investment would welcome, but only initiatives aimed at raising the local economy – with jobs, schools and hospitals – will be allowed.

“Any foreign investor can come here as long as they come with development for our people and increase daily salary for miners,” said Mr. Musafira.

Despite the enormous natural remedies in the country, in most mining communities, there is little infrastructure, even even the roads to the mines, where the wealth is drawn from the ground.

Mr. Tumif believes that the presence of American investors can also act as “caution against fighting or reviving other armed groups.”

But it is not yet clear how and with whom the investor will do the business, given that M23 is still running in the East.

Parallel efforts to be -led by catarrh – which include direct negotiations between armed groups and the Congolese government – can give more clarity in the coming months.

The M23, which is part of the broad Alliance of the Congo River, said the transaction supported by Washington did not meet the reasons for the long conflict. He claims that he takes weapons to defend the Tutsi minority minority group’s rights.

While the warring people are trying to pull their prevailing ways to peace, the locals on the Rubai mine, as in other places of the Eastern Dr. Congo, only hope for the final end of the struggle and bloodstream, which has seen hundreds of thousands of people running through their homes.

“My appeal to my colleagues – the youth and our leaders – to preserve and support peace in our area,” said Mr. Asiai.

When he was preparing to return to the clock, he added: “I also turn to the owners of the mine to increase our payment because it is very small.”

Additional reporting by Robert Kipta and Hassan Lalli BBC