Rights groups are criticizing South Africa's government for failing to prevent what they call a 'massacre' at the Buffelsfontein mine, after security officials cut off food, water, and other essential supplies to miners trapped underground and delayed a rescue operation.
are criticizing South Africa 's government for failing to prevent what they call a"massacre" at the Buffelsfontein mine, after security officials cut off food, water, and other essential supplies to miners trapped underground and delayed a rescue operation.The standoff between police and miners began last November, when police surrounded the abandoned gold mine's entrance, with the goal of forcing the miners to emerge and then arresting them.
While the government has a responsibility to uphold the rule of law, it must simultaneously respect and protect human rights, including the right to life and prohibition on inhuman treatment. Police tactics of blocking essential supplies at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine to trigger fear of death and further jeopardize the miners' lives, and theused by public officials, fail to respect South Africa's constitutional guarantees to which all are entitled.
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