Rwamagana - Eleven illegal miners died in Mwurile when the disused Casserite mine they were working in collapsed and buried them. They were discovered by their colleagues on Friday afternoon. Police say hundreds of illegal workers can be underground and remain working for weeks or months.

According to Nehemie Uwimana, the Mayor of Rwamagana District, the mines were closed several months ago.
The Mayor said that people out of greed and ignorance have continued the illegal mining.

"It is sad that the illegal miners do not learn from past experience when others have died in sad and heart-rending circumstances. Illegal mining must stop,” he said.

"We have warned them several times with little success. This time, for the sake of their safety, we need to impose restrictions accompanied by heavy punishment,” he said.

Francois Habiyakare, 47, a resident of the area said that everyone knows that illegal mining is risky and dangerous, as evidenced by the high rate of deaths recorded.

But, he said, the people involved are not ready to stop because they make great fortune out of the activity.

"Many lives have been lost in this activity, which otherwise appears to be lucrative. After the deaths, people went back into the mines, immediately after the authorities left,” he noted.

In July this year, three illegal miners died in Musha when a similar disused mine caved in.

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