Editor’s Note
This article highlights the dangerous real-world consequences of online disinformation. The incident at the Montepuez Ruby Mine serves as a stark reminder of how rapidly false information can spread via social media, leading to illegal and potentially hazardous situations. It underscores the critical need for verifying information from official sources before acting.
Following a disinformation campaign, hundreds of people have illegally entered a ruby mine in southeastern African Mozambique. According to a statement from the mine management, they were falsely informed via social media that the Montepuez Ruby Mine (MRM) in the northern Cabo Delgado province would be freely accessible for 24 hours.
The mine’s security personnel, in cooperation with police forces, attempted to expel the intruders from the mining area. This led to violent clashes during which two people were shot, according to MRM.
It initially remained unclear who was behind the disinformation campaign. According to MRM, it could be an action by smuggling syndicates aiming to use the orchestrated chaos to illegally steal gemstones from the mine. The Montepuez Ruby Mine is considered one of the most significant ruby deposits in the world, according to the British mining company Gemfields, the main owner of MRM.
