What is happening in the DRC? | Explained Today World News

The story so far:

The crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is back in the spotlight after the M23 militia, backed by eastern neighbour Rwanda, captured the mineral-rich city of Goma, which lies on the border between the two countries. UN estimates suggest that the fighting, which began in January, has taken the lives of more than 2,900 people, displaced close to 7,00,000 and injured many more. Since then, clashes have spread to the south of the border with the rebels eyeing Bukavu, the capital of the South Kivu province — another resource-rich region that is situated in the east of the DRC.

What is the history of the region?

While the root cause of the crisis is generally attributed to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the region has been beset with conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis since colonial times; so much so that some 1,50,000 Tutsis had migrated to neighbouring countries even before Rwanda’s independence from Belgium in 1962. Imperialist powers such as Germany and Belgium ruled over Rwanda through a Tutsi monarchy in which local administrative roles were occupied by members of the Tutsis, who were a minority there, ensuring better prospects for the group. This did not sit well with the Hutus who eventually called for a ‘revolution’ in 1959, costing the lives of some 20,000 Tutsis. Consequently, King Kigeli V fled, and a Hutu regime came to power. Further solidifying the group’s grip on power were the elections of 1960 conducted by Belgian officials, in which Hutus emerged victorious in local communes. Two years later, the country proclaimed independence and got its first President in Grégoire Kayibanda.

What is the Rwandan genocide?

With Hutus at the helm, there was systematic repression of the Tutsis. This led to the formation of the Tutsi rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which launched a civil war in 1990.

The war reached its inflection point in April 1994, when an aircraft carrying Rwandan President Juvenal Habriyamana and his Burundi counterpart Cyprien Ntarynira — two Hutus — was shot down. Blaming the RPF for the attack, the Rwandan military and the Hutu Interahamwe militia went on a rampage, murdering almost 8,000 people per day. By the time the campaign ended 100 days later, some 8,00,000 Tutsis and a moderate number of Hutus had been killed. The genocide ended only after an RPF reprisal emerged victorious in July 1994. Paul Kagambe, one of the leaders of the uprising, was elected President of Rwanda in 2000 and has occupied the post ever since.

What was the aftermath of the genocide?

As a result of the killings, some two million Hutus, including the perpetrators, crossed into the eastern region of the DRC, then called Zaire. Today, the region comprises more than 120 armed groups such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), claiming to fight for the Hutus, and the M23, which claims to represent the interests of the Tutsis.

After the genocide, Rwandan troops invaded Congo, first in 1996 and then in 1998 — dubbed Africa’s World Wars. The war of 1996, called the First Congo War, resulted in the country being renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo and witnessed the overthrow of longtime ruler Mobutu Sese Seko. The next battle, known as the Second Congo War, came about as President Laurent-Désiré Kabila turned against allies Rwanda and Uganda. The fighting eventually ballooned into one of the biggest battles on the continent after nine countries and 25 armed groups joined in. It ended only in 2003 after having killed five million from battle, disease and starvation.

From then on, the DRC has been marked by disarray while Rwanda, under Mr. Kagame, has been identified as a force of stability in Africa. With ample help from Western nations, the President lifted the country out of poverty. Yet, Mr. Kagame’s government has been accused of helping the M23 rebels.

Who are the M23 rebels?

Formed in 2012, the M23 stands for Mouvement du 23 Mars — an abortive agreement signed on March 23, 2009, between the DRC government and the Tutsi-led National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP). According to the pact, the CNDP, which fought the government forces between 2006 and 2009, was to take the form of a political party and its fighters were to be absorbed into the DRC Army.

These soldiers broke off from the Congolese Army and came together to form the M23. It is led by Sultani Makenga and is based in the North Kivu province. Claiming to protect Tutsis, the group managed to capture Goma for the first time in 2012. Following a series of setbacks at the hands of the Congolese Army and UN forces, the group retreated after it was assured the protection of the Tusis. A decade later, it resurfaced in 2022 citing failure to meet the promises. The group stands accused of war crimes by the UN.

Is the conflict only about ethnic tensions?

Ethnic strife forms only one part of the story. The mineral-rich regions in the DRC’s east, coveted by nations and armed groups alike, form the other part. The DRC is home to Coltan, the ore from which Tantalum is produced.

This blue-grey metal is used in smartphones and other electronic devices for it can hold a high charge over a range of temperatures, making it conducive for the manufacturing of capacitors that store energy.

While Coltan is also mined in Brazil, Nigeria, and Rwanda, almost 40% of the global supply comes from the DRC.

And the capture of Goma, a key trading and transport hub, will help M23 to a great degree.

How have regional players responded to the crisis?

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi called the capture of Goma “an act of war”. The winner of the 2023 election, which has been decried by activists, the loss of Goma leaves him on shaky ground.

Mr. Kagambe, while never admitting to complicity in the M23’s actions, has issued remarks time and again, that hint at the M23’s legitimacy. The Rwandan leader wants the militant group to be made part of discussions.

The Tutsi-led country’s actions are in the interest of the group living across the border and to prevent the spillover of a civil war, he says.

Neighbouring Burundi, a Hutu-majority country that shares hostile relations with Rwanda, has warned the Kagambe administration about the M23’s advance further south. “If Rwanda continues to make conquests,” he wrote, “I know that war will even arrive in Burundi… One day he [Kagame] wants to come to Burundi — we’re not going to accept that. The war will spread,” President Evariste Ndayishimiye said.

Uganda is toeing a middle line by helping the Congolese troops hunt down militants with Ugandan origins tied to the Islamic State. It also allows the M23 to use its territory as a base, reports the UN.