By Morgen Makombo Sikwila
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) crisis stems from a series of post-colonial battles from power, which began after the country gained independence from Belgium in 1960.
Decades of conflict have been fueled by ethnic tensions, political rivalries, corruption and fighting for control of valuable natural resources.
DRC’s current conflict has been ongoing since the 1990s, particularly in the eastern part of the country which borders South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.
There are currently over a hundred active armed groups in the DRC mainly local militias seeking to protect their communities after over three decades of unrest. Loyalties and rivalries between groups are constantly evolving and generally guided by ethnic identities, economic interests and political manipulation.
Poor governance, poor management of post-colonial nation or state building, conflict over land and other natural resources are some of the factors driving the conflict. There are also deep divisions between ethnic groups which are largely the product of the region’s colonial history and historical grievances for some decades of continuous unrest.
Colonial legacy continues to affect and effect ethnic tensions in the DRC. Its borders were drawn by European colonial powers, grouping diverse ethnic groups without considerations for historical rivalries. The colonial practice of divide and rule worsened these tensions as colonial authorities sought to maintain control over subjugated local populations.
The DRC is rich in natural resources, including coltan, gold, diamonds and cobalt. The exploitation of these minerals is a significant driver of prolonged conflicts between groups. Some armed groups are financed by their control over of these resources. DR Congo and multiple UN reports have accused Rwanda of using the conflict as a way of looting Congolese minerals, such as gold and coltan, which is used to make mobile phones and other electronic items such as cameras and inside cars.
In recent years, the March 23 Movement (M23) has seized several lucrative mining areas and a report by UN experts last December said around 120 tonnes of coltan was being sent by the M23 to Rwands every four weeks. They also noted a huge rise in Rwanda’s mineral exports in recent years, most of which is believed to come from DR Congo. Rwanda has consistently denied allegations of exploiting DR Congo’s minerals. Rwanda previously said it was being scapegoated and blamed the current fighting on the Congolese authorities, saying they had refused to enter a dialogue with M23. Rwanda has been denying that it supports the M23, but ever since 2012 UN experts have accused it of providing weapons, logistical support and even ultimately commanding the rebels. DR Congo’s government, as well as the US and France, have also identified Rwanda as backing the group. Last year, UN experts report said up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were fighting alongside the M23. M23 leader Sultani Makenga is a Congolese Tutsi who previously fought in the Rwandan army.
In 1965, Mobutu Sese Seko seized power in the Congo, that he later renamed Zaire, and went on to rule for another 32 years. His regime was marked by weak governance and high levels of corruption. After the Mobutu regime was overthrown in 1997 by a militarygroup led by Laurent Kabila; armed groups thrived amid local and regional struggles for influence as well as state’s failure to provide essential services and security to the population. The lack of economic opportunities and development pushed many people to join armed groups, further destabilizing the country.
Neighbouring countries, particularly Rwanda and Uganda, have played pivotal roles in the DRC’s conflicts – either backing armed groups or intervening militarily for political, economic, or security reasons. The aftermath of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda against the minority Tutsi, moderate Hutus and members of a third ethnic group, the Twa, had a particularly lasting impact on eastern DRC, contributing to two major conflicts. These were often referred to as the First Congo War (1996–1997) and the Second Congo War (1998–2003). Sometimes called “Africa’s World War”, these conflicts involved numerous African nations and armed groups fighting on Congolese soil.
Impunity for human rights abuses and violations, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, has plagued the region. Perpetrators are rarely held to account. Victims are often denied the justice that is needed to break the vicious cycle of violence that has tormented the people of the DRC.
The DRC and its neighbouring countries across the African Great Lakes region share a long history of brutal violence, exploitation and suffering that dates back to the 16th century.
Slavery and colonization, first under the Belgian King Leopold II and then under the Kingdom of Belgium, was characterized by barbaric violence, including mass abductions and murder, mutilations, extraction and plundering of natural resources and other violations. The colonial power also practised divide and conquer tactics, which exacerbated deeply entrenched rifts between communities and ethnic groups. These tensions persisted after even gaining independence from Belgium in 1960.
In 1994, 800,000 people were slaughtered during the genocide in Rwanda. The genocide was carried out by Hutu-led pro-government militia who targeted members of the Tutsi minority community and anyone who tried to protect them. A Tutsi-led rebellion ended 100 days of massacres by marching on Rwanda’s capital Kigali and pushing millions of Rwandans, including the militia and security forces that committed the genocide to cross the border and seek refuge in DRC, then called Zaire. Soon after, the new Tutsi-led government in Kigali joined forces with the armies of Uganda and Burundi, as well as Congolese armed groups, to invade the DRC and overthrow the Mobutu government.
The wars that followed are known as the First and Second Congo Wars (1996-1997 and 1998-2002). Some of the ongoing major armed conflicts in eastern DRC are a continuation of these wars. Numerous armed groups, arose out of this crisis. Each of them with constantly evolving alliances and rivalries with the various political powers and state authorities party to the conflict. These interwoven conflicts were marked by a swath of crimes under international law and other human rights violations, including mass killings, enforced disappearances, rapes and other sexual violence, and torture.
The conflicts in the DRC have ignited a human rights catastrophe. Thousands of civilians are caught in the crossfire and sexual violence is rampant. War crimes and crimes against humanity have been documented. Those who survive the violence face mass displacement, hunger, disease and poverty.
Fighting between armed forces in the DRC is often characterized by targeted or indiscriminate attacks that result in mass killings and injuries. More than 6 million people have died as a result of conflict in the DRC since 1998, many of them killed by hunger and disease.
Today, civilians are being killed in intensified fighting across North Kivu province. Casualties include those living in sites for internally displaced persons, which are regularly the targets of bombings.
UN and NGO sources have reported mass rapes and sexual violence in the DRC, mainly against women and children. Some of the victims of these attacks are as young as nine years old. Sexual violence is endemic in the DRC with studies finding that over 1.5 million women in the country have been raped in their lifetime.
Tensions have displaced residents of many villages and overwhelmed health centres, according to humanitarian sources. Thousands of people have been subjected to torture and other cruel treatment as a result of the fighting in DRC. In 2022, a UN report found that both state authorities and non-state armed groups subjected people to torture. There are also cases of enforced disappearances or arbitrarily detentions, among other abuses.
Fighting in the DRC has fuelled a humanitarian disaster, with millions forced to flee their home in search of safety. As of April 2024, 7.3 million people have been internally displaced by conflict, making it one of the largest displacement crises in the world.
People living in the areas most affected by the conflict, including internally displaced people, are isolated from supply routes. This, paired with poor access to healthcare, food and shelter as well as substantial overcrowding and a lack of resources for aid, presents a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
Despite the presence of valuable resources like cobalt and copper, the DRC is among the five poorest nations in the world. It’s estimated that 74.6 per cent of the country lives on less than US$3.00 per day in 2023.
The lack of economic opportunities is a barrier preventing people’s access to their human rights to healthcare, food and education. It also fuels armed conflicts and intercommunal violence.
Morgen Makombo Sikwila
MSC Peace and Governance
BSc Counselling
Diploma in Environmental Health Health
Certificate in Marketing Management
Phone: 0772823282 email morgensikwilam@gmail.com
