In the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo, artisanal miners working in conflict-affected mineral shafts face severe human rights abuses, including summary killings, torture, and forced labor, perpetrated by Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement (M23) fighters who facilitate the illicit trafficking of gold and coltan to neighboring Rwanda.
Inside the Mines: Ordeal at the Shafts
Mining operations in eastern DRC’s mineral-rich provinces, such as South Kivu, operate under severe duress according to accounts gathered by human rights organizations. An artisanal miner working at the Lomera gold mine detailed a routine marked by extreme exploitation, violence, and inadequate compensation. Diggers are restricted inside mine shafts against their will, enduring physical abuse from managers and intermediaries.
According to the miner, working conditions have deteriorated significantly. Miners labor approximately four days a week, averaging five hours per shift, for a wage of 5,000 Congolese francs, equivalent to roughly $2.17 US dollars. Within individual shafts, which typically hold around 120 diggers, food provisions provided by bosses through managers are minimal, often limited to a single piece of fried dough—known as a beignet—and water for the day.
Violence, Hospitalization, and Forced Labor
Physical violence is a routine feature of the mining environment under M23 presence. The miner recounted a specific incident earlier this year when he was struck with a stick from behind after three hours of work, losing consciousness before waking up in a hospital with bandaged injuries spanning his head, arms, feet, joints, and stomach. He spent three days receiving medical treatment for injuries inflicted by a Congolese manager who originates from Rwanda.
“The fact we must stay in the mine shaft against our will, the fact our bosses beat us, they beat people and they end up in the hospital,” the miner said, noting that such beatings occur multiple times a week. While some victims receive intervention from colleagues and escape further harm, others face fatal consequences. “I’ve seen people who died and were buried in the mine shaft,” he added.
Miners report that individuals identified as Rwandan nationals operate within the area, transitioning between civilian clothes and military-style uniforms depending on local security conditions. These individuals function as overarching bosses overseeing the extraction process.
The Global Supply Chain and Demands for Accountability
The extracted minerals—primarily gold and coltan—are systematically trafficked to neighboring Rwanda with the assistance of Rwandan authorities, feeding international electronics supply chains. The miner urged consumers abroad to recognize the human cost behind manufactured goods.
“I want everyone to know that the expensive telephones they are buying are made from expensive minerals, and the telephones they use come to them after a lot of blood has been spilled,” the miner stated. He called for formal advocacy to ensure minerals are extracted legally and workers receive fair, lawful treatment.
To curb abuses, miners have appealed for sustained international monitoring and the establishment of independent observers who can document violations in real time.
