The town of Rubaya in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, known as the coltan capital of the world, has recently fallen into the hands of rebels, causing concern among local residents. The M23 rebels took control of Rubaya on April 30, where they are now exploiting the rich coltan reserves, estimated to hold over 70 percent of the planet’s coltan.
Mapenzi Mulume, a resident from Masisi territory, reported that the rebels have set up teams to mine minerals 24 hours a day, even involving women and children in the process. This has raised fears that the profits from the coltan mines will be used to fund the rebels’ war against the DRC government.
The M23 rebels have been in conflict with the DRC government since 2021, and their recent conquest of Rubaya has heightened concerns among the local population. Exaucé Kavatsawa, another resident, believes that the rebels’ control over the coltan reserves in Rubaya will provide them with the means to finance their ongoing war.
Despite the Congolese government’s claims that raw materials are being smuggled across the border into Rwanda from Rubaya, the rebels deny any involvement in such activities. Major Willy Ngoma, the rebels’ military spokesman, stated that the mining activities in Rubaya are carried out by local indigenous populations and not by the rebels themselves.
The M23 rebels have expanded their control beyond Rubaya in recent weeks, extending to areas where cassiterite and manganese are also mined. The situation in Rubaya remains tense, with the local population caught in the middle of a conflict over valuable mineral resources.