Illegal, shoddily built artisanal mines in the Central African Republic are death traps, and Tuesday's collapse at Zamboye — which may have killed over 100 people — proves it. These sites operate with zero safety standards, and serious accidents are a regular, deadly occurrence. Without urgent intervention, thousands of miners will keep risking their lives daily just to survive.
The Zamboye disaster isn't isolated — CAR sees fatal mine collapses almost every month, and the government's response remains woefully inadequate. While authorities express sympathy and promise assistance, a pattern of deadly collapses in February, March, May and June shows words aren't enough. Real accountability and structural reform are the only things that will stop this cycle of preventable deaths.
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