Africa-Press – Mozambique. At least three people lost their lives on Wednesday during clashes between civilians and members of the Mozambican Police (PRM) who were ensuring security to the ruby mining area operated by the London-based company Gemfields in Montepuez district, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
Gemfields owns 75 per cent of Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM), the main ruby mining company in Mozambique.
According to local reports, the violence erupted when a young local miner was allegedly shot dead by police officers in Ntseue village. In response, village residents transported the miner’s body to the MRM offices, protesting what they described as abuse and recurrent violence by the security forces.
“Upon reaching the gate at the mine’s main entrance, the villagers were prevented from advancing by two police officers stationed at the site, triggering a fatal confrontation. The two officers were killed, and their weapons were later handed over to the Ntseue village chief. The confrontation resulted in three deaths, a miner and two officers”, said a source, cited by local independent paper “Moz 24 Hours.”
The victims’ bodies were later transported in the company’s ambulance to the morgue at Montepuez District Hospital.
Tomé Patrício, head of Muaja village, confirmed the case and denounced the worsening violence in the region between local residents and police officers.
“They’re killing a lot of people in the forest. The police are chasing foreigners, and in the process, they killed a young man from the village, Juma Herculano. The population was outraged”, he said.
So far, there has been no official statement from the PRM or MRM regarding the incident. The case raises concerns about the tense relations between local communities and security forces associated with mining in Montepuez, where several similar incidents have been reported in recent years.
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