The BBC acquires rare access to mobile phones that operate the mine

The M23 rebels in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo recently allowed the BBC to visit a huge mining site under their control, which is vital to the production of mobile phones in the world – and throughout its extension, there was no single person.

Thousands of miners, the landscapes covered with drilling and tunnels.

Some of them were deep underground dug raw with scripts, then others raised bags of extracted rocks that contain two colors, which are used to make many electronic devices, on their shoulders. Then they took it to the assembly points, where others washed and filtered with the sketch and hand.

“Usually we have more than 10,000 or more people working here daily,” Patrice Musawafiri, who supervised the Robia Mining website since the rebels took control of this in April last year.

It is difficult to move – our team needed the help of walking sticks, as well as the instructions of Mr. Musafiri, to prevent us from falling – but for most men, the only life they knew. It may be exhausting and dangerous, but it allows them to earn a small living.

“When we are deep in the mines, the temperatures are very high – the pits of metal is very difficult … in addition to that there can be other harmful gases,” said BBC.

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

But the young man said that he was grateful because since the mining began five years ago, he managed to save a little money for a dowry while he is married now and has children.

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

The golden lands they enjoy in the sprawling hills of Massisi in the Northern Kevo Province – about 60 km (37 miles) northwest of the city of Goma – have 15 % of the world supplies in the world and a half of the Congo Congo deposit.

No wonder international investors have their eyes in this field.

A huge wealth has provided over the years to the various armed groups that he supervised at different times, including the army.

We arrived at the mine, which is located about 10 kilometers outside the city of Robia, several days after the signing of the ceasefire deal in Washington by Dr. Kongo and Rwanda as part of the peace process that aims to end three decades of instability in the region.

The roots of insecurity in the east of Dr. Congo are complex.

There is an ethnic dimension, where many rebel groups are working here – including the Ethnic Hoto militia associated with the 1994 group genocide, which Kigali believes Congolese support.

In Washington, both sides were committed on June 27 to remove the alleged agents and their jaws (although the existence of any).

M23 was not a party to the deal. It is mainly led by the ethnic totsi, it controls large parts of the Eastern Congo – and since January, Goma, Boukavo and two airports controlled. Rwanda has been accused by many – including the United Nations – with the support of M23. However, the authorities there deny sending military or financial aid.

The US participation in this process appears to depend on reaching the resources of Dr. Congo metal – although nothing has been identified yet.

“We are getting the United States and a lot of metal rights from the Congo (Dr.),” said US President Donald Trump before the signing.

During our short visit – we were allowed to reach about 45 minutes – there was no hint that the driving chain was about to change.

The supervisor, who was appointed by M23, was keen to explain how to reorganize the preparation in Robia during the past year and how the rebel group brought security to allow mines to work without fear – determining that no armed men were allowed on the site.

“We have already resolved a lot of issues,” said Mr. Musafiri.

“We currently have a mining section that organizes and monitors safety issues and also transforms internal conflicts within the mines. If the tunnel becomes dangerous, people are required to leave to avoid accidents.

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

In December, the United Nations experts report detailed how M23 made hundreds of thousands of dollars every month to impose taxes on a two -length, many of which were sent directly to Rwanda – allegations of M23 and Kigali.

Surrounded by his colleagues wearing jeans, racing, shoes, and Landton shoes, all of whom buy permits to work on the site, Mr. Osiasi agreed that the conditions were better.

“The work is going very well here because we have at least some aspects of peace, but the wage is very low. We pay a little money,” the mines said.

Trump’s second period coincided with the seizure of the M23 in most Northern KIVU provinces and south Kivu and the underestimation of the Congolese army.

Political analyst Akram Thomsivo says that Dr. Kongo decided to use her rich metal reserves as a bargaining chip for American assistance – for several months, she had requested military support.

He told the BBC, with an initial peace process, the great hope of the Congolese authorities was that American companies would be in a position to carry out “huge investments” in the mining sector, which are currently dominated by Chinese companies.

American companies are said to be already looking to get an opportunity to invest in the mining sector in Robia.

Robia’s supervisor told us that the investment will be welcomed, but only initiatives aimed at enhancing the local economy – with jobs, schools and hospitals – will be allowed.

“Any foreign investor can come here, as long as it comes with the development of our people and the increase in daily wages for workers,” said Mr. Musafiri.

Despite the huge natural endowments in the country, most mining communities have a little infrastructure, without even access to mines in which wealth is obtained from the ground.

Mr. Tumsifu believes that the presence of American investors can act as “warning against fighting or the return of other armed groups.”

But it is not yet clear how, or who will invest the investor, given that the M23 still controls the East.

Qatar -led parallel efforts – which include direct talks between armed groups and the Congolese government – may lead to more clarity in the coming months.

The M23, which is part of the wider alliance of the Kongo River, said that the deal backed by Washington was less than addressing the causes of long conflict. It confirms that the matter took the weapon to protect the rights of the Tutsi Minority Group in the Congo.

While the warriors are trying to get their favorite paths of peace, the local population in the Robia mine, like anywhere in the eastern Congo, hopes only at the end of the final to fight and shed blood that has seen hundreds of thousands of people flee their homes.

Mr. Osisi said: “A call to my youth colleagues and our leaders is to preserve and preserve peace in our region.”

While he was preparing to return to hours of drilling, he added: “I also appeal to the miners to increase our salaries because they are very small.”

Additional reports by Robert Kipto from BBC and Hassan Lali