Mozambique: “Skirmishes” between illegal miners and joint forces end with wounded and vehicles burned – Carta

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Mozambique: “Skirmishes” between illegal miners and joint forces end with wounded and vehicles burned – Carta

12:47 CAT | 24 Feb 2020

Photo: O País

After Cabo Delgado police spokeswoman Eugenia Nhamuchua announced last week that the corporation was going to investigate the deaths of miners little less then three weeks ago, some parties to the plot lost their heads and started an unprecedented riot that ended only on Saturday 22nd.

ALSO READ: Mozambique: Lawyers to investigate deaths of 11 illegal miners in ruby mine

According to sources, the incident started at around 8:00 p.m. on Friday when joint forces confronted illegal miners digging in the Montepuez Ruby Minning (MRM) concession, shooting two members of the group, one of whom was injured, and the other having yet to be traced. In response, the miners rioted, injuring two members of the MRM security force and setting one of its vehicles on fire.

Sources, who describe the situation as “not being good”, say that Montepuez district has in the last few days been experiencing unusual movements of people from different parts of the country and over the border, a situation not witnessed in the past two years.

ALSO READ: Mozambique: Police investigate invasion of ruby mining area – AIM report

It will be remembered that an MRM communiqué, issued at the time of the mine collapse of 4th to 6th of February, alleged that the miners were coordinated by various networks trafficking the illegally mined precious stones.

According to an illegal miner, who identified himself as Azizi, from Mtwara in the Republic of Tanzania, events in the Montepuez mines have continued to evolve.

Azizi said the death toll from the tunnel collapses of Feb 4th to 6th far exceeded the 12 announced by official sources, nine bodies being extracted on the night of the 4th, and a further nine the next day. He said that a considerable number of miners remained buried.

ALSO READ: Mine invasion, war, aid, media attacks, climate crisis in Cabo Delgado I Marcelino dos Santos and Mario Machungo die – Hanlon

Source: Carta de Moçambique