Due care for miners

There is widespread concern back home about the situation of the 124 Chinese nationals detained by police in Ghana for suspected illegal gold mining, China's authorities should work with their Ghanaian counterparts for a proper settlement to the issue as soon as possible and seek a once-and-for-all solution to the alleged illegal gold mining by Chinese nationals in the West African country.

But before that, the Ghanaian authorities must provide due protection for the legal rights of the detained Chinese citizens and ensure they are treated in accordance with local and international laws and prevent mistreatment.

According to the Chinese Embassy in Ghana, the local authorities conducted raids in areas near illegal mines where Chinese live, including at a hotel in the central Ashanti region over the weekend, and by Wednesday they had detained 124 Chinese citizens. Messages posted online by some miners seeking assistance said that their mines were looted and that they were even shot at by people with AK47 guns while hiding from the searching police.