Civil Society calls for closure of Rubaya mine after landslides

Civil society groups in North Kivu are calling for the immediate closure of a mining site in Rubaya, as well as investigations and sanctions after another reported landslide in the area added to a string of deadly accidents in early 2026. In a statement published on March 13, the groups said the latest collapse took place on March 7 at the Gakombe site in Masisi territory and buried artisanal miners while also affecting nearby homes.

The appeal marks a push for concrete next steps rather than another warning. The organizations say unsafe artisanal mining conditions, weak safety measures and pressure around the site are contributing to repeated tragedies.

They want authorities and relevant actors to shut the affected site, establish responsibility for the disasters and punish those involved in illegal mineral exploitation.

Rubaya has already drawn wider scrutiny after earlier collapses this year. ReliefWeb’s ECHO updates reported a massive January 28 landslide in the Rubaya mining area and another major landslide on March 3, both linked to heavy rainfall, while repeated collapses have exposed dangerous, weakly regulated mining conditions at one of eastern Congo’s most important coltan zones.

The latest statement also broadens pressure on all actors tied to Rubaya’s mineral economy. Beyond calling for investigations, the signatory groups are urging stronger protection for civilians and action against exploitation patterns they say are helping fuel insecurity in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.