‘People need a break’: DRC conflict again shines dark memories of the Congo wars | News of the conflict

In parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the communities are preparing for war or fleeing the safety of the M23 rebels, which have captured the key eastern cities of Gom and Bukav in recent weeks, leaving a desolation in their awakening.

The rebel group, which the United Nations say was supported by neighboring Rwanda, also closed in Walikale, a large mining center, while Kinshasa’s offer and A prize of $ 5 million To capture the M23 leader did not slow down the group.

While the M23 march in the north and southern Kivu, Ugandan troops increased the deployment over their border with the DrC in the Itura Province, just hours from the regions that are rebels. The Uganda army says that he is fighting against the Allied Democratic forces (ADF) and the Codeco Development Cooperatives – two of several dozen armed groups operating in DRC. The recent Flash of Codeco attacks on civilians in February was killed at least 51 people, prompting Uganda to send additional soldiers to increase their arrangement of 5,000 within the DRC.

For political observers a growing presence of both Ruandan and Ugandan soldiers There is a creepy reproduction of a painful past, which they are afraid of being able to lead to a larger, regional war again if it is not contained.

“We really see the replica of the Second War in Congo with the same actors, but in slightly different configurations,” said analyst Paul Nantulya of the African Center for Strategic Studies for Al Jazeera, referring to the leading roles of both countries that were now playing in the 1998 “Great African War” when they were Rwandan and the Ugandan Trio.

Several African countries have also followed the suit, supporting either the DRC or side under the leadership of Rwanda, as well as dozens of local militia on any area. The result was a humanitarian crisis that recorded about five million deaths; Drc robbed mineral resources like gold; and the appearance of dozens of armed groups, including M23.

At that time, thousands around the world protested against crimes in DrC, calling to the end of the robbery and murder. Today, illegal mining and smuggling from the DRC mine – which provide 70 percent of the global supply to Coltan and Kobalt that initiates electronics – has largely continued, as well as death and displacements due to the activities of armed groups.

“The appetite for political negotiations is low, and international pressure and forced measures have not had a distracting effect that they once had in previous crisis fights,” Nantulya added, referring to the suspension of the support of Rwanda’s military assistance and Sanctions of the United States on the key army of Rwanda.

History of interference

DRC was in a rush of a violent conflict of low level for More than three decades. At that time, more than six million people were killed and millions of more displaced.

The complex blend of questions is to blame, among them: Cigali’s complaints that DRC contain rebels against Rwande who fled after the Hutu genocide against Tutsis in 1994; ethnic tensions between the Congolian Tuts and their neighbors; Grab for mineral resources in an insecure Eastern DRC; and corruption in the Congenian government.

The invasion of Rwanda on Drc also encouraged the wars of the first and second Congo (1996-1997 and 1998-2003), as Kigali claimed that the persecution of genocidars to Hutu who fled across the border. After the army of President Paul Kagame took power in Rwanda in 1994, groups fleeing Hutu gathered at refugee camps in DRC, where they launched renewed attacks on Tutsis.

Uganda, where Kagama and his troops trained years before taking power in Kigali, joined Rwanda’s side in Drc. Both countries then supported the Congolian rebel group, led by Laurent Kabila, to eliminate the dictator, President Mobut Sesea Seka. He had many regional enemies at the time. Several countries supported the cable by sending weapons or weapons, including Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea and South Africa.

However, when Kabila, after gaining power in 1997, transferred the sides and ordered the troops of Ruandan and Ugandansky from Drc to one day, Kigali revenge. In 1998, Rwanda and Uganda attacked, sponsoring the Tutsi militia that occupied parts of the Eastern DRC rich in resources. Kabila managed to bring together other African nations to her side, including Namibia, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Chad and Angola, which now transferred the sides under the new government. The UN deployed peace force, Monusco. Kabila also signed up for the help of Huta militia groups in Eastern Drc, deepening ethnic tensions with Congolian Tutsis, which are perceived as pro-Rwanda.

Violations of looting and rights

The Congo wars ended in 2003, but low intensity violence still exists, which led to some experts say that it was never really over.

Several reports afterwards, including the UN, accused Rwanda and Uganda of targeting civilians Hutu and robbery and smuggling of DRC coffee, diamonds, wood, coltan and other resources. The relatives of the Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, including his younger brother Sali Saleh and wife of Saleh, Jovia Akandwanaho, were appointed as a companies operators involved in trading illegal cases, especially during the Second War. Politicians and soldiers of Congo were also involved.

“The exploitation of natural resources has become more attractive, not only because these groups have made it possible to finance their war effort, but also because, for a large number of political/military leaders, it was a source of personal enrichment. Natural resources gradually become a driving force behind the war, “one UN Report Read.

He also accused “foreign customers who are ready to handle that goods”, including traders in DRC -Ui multiple countries. In 2005, Anvil, an Australian-Canadian mining company, was accused of lovistics provided by the Congolian Army, which helped him violently suppress a small uprising in the south of Drc.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Campal guilt for “International Law Breach” in 2022 and ordered Uganda to pay $ 325 million DRC for losses and damage during wars. Campal started paying installments and is expected to complete them by 2027. Although DRC also sued Rwanda, ICJ could not rule in that case because Rwanda did not acknowledge his jurisdiction.

In the last legal battle of 2023, Drc again sued Rwanda in the East African Court of Justice in Arushi, Tanzania, claiming that supporting the M23 rebels broke Kinshasin territorial integrity against international law. That case is still ongoing. Rwanda has repeatedly denied supporting M23.

‘DRC needs a break’

The countries that participated in the wars in Congo were again in DRC. And again, a Congolian politician marching on Kinshas, ​​this time Corneille NangaRiver League leader Rebel Congo (AFC). One -time election commissioner, Nangaa turned out to be President of the Congo Felix Tshiseception, and then in December 2023. Now leads the AFC-M23 coalition.

However, an analyst based at the ACCRA Kambala Musavali from the Congratulations Center, Al Jazeera said that the interference of DRC’s closest neighbors never stopped.

“When we say that Uganda and Rwanda are in Congo again, they left the perspective and they came back,” said Musavula, who is Congol, for Al Jazeera. In reality, the two governments continuously maintained holding the situation in the DRC, he said.

It is quite clear on the whole continent where most parties are in this iteration of the conflict: the UN -this support by Rwanda is documented by the UN, who says that about 3000 hulls of Rwanda currently support the rebels. Burundi, under the president of Evariste NDayishimiye – who has dark relations with Kagama – arranged at least 10,000 soldiers to support the Drc army. South African troops are running a mission to the southern African developmental community (Sadc) in Drc -Ii fights against M23 together with Malawic and Tanzani soldiers since January. Angola and Kenya Two separate peace negotiations are leading, while Chad considers the Kinshase request for the troop deployment.

Uganda seems to be a savage map. The country was last year involved UN supporting the M23 support, allowing its territory to be used to launch an attack, and areas that the Uganda army currently occupy in DrC are so close to the areas that are under M23 that analysts believe that there could be an agreement. But Campal denies anything to do with M23.

“Uganda is a big elephant in the room,” said analyst Nantulya. Campal, he added, was playing a ambiguous act of balance, working to ensure a part of the DRC, while it undertakes not to stand on the path of M23 on the other side.

DRC resources also remain a focal point in this conflict. So far, the M23 has taken over the huge expanses of the northern and southern Kivu, which is the home of massive laids of gold and cobalt. There are speculations that the DRC gold funded an armed group, which surprised analysts with their high quality weapons and telecommunications systems. The UN estimates that the M23 earns about $ 800,000 a month from illegal gold sales.

The completion of the long-term crisis would include the great effort of African countries to negotiate both sides, say analysts, but also to put pressure on the DRC government itself to repair their internal affairs: TSISEDEDA suffers from the crisis of legitimacy, because Congo’s rejected election that brought him to another term. Weaknesses and built -in corruption in the country in the country may have helped to defend Congo to spoil as M23 progressed. And the feelings of marginalization are still difficult in the Congole-Tutsia communities, worsening tensions.

Kinshasa recent calls to national dialogue, except Peace negotiations run by regional partiesThere are important steps, Musavuli said. Thus, the recent visit of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, who has committed to prosecutes all sides of the accused of violating the rights in conflict, including non -select murders and sexual abuse of civilians, he added.

“They usually ask me,” What about Rwanda’s government? What about the Government with the Uganda Government? ‘But no one talks about [Congolese] People, “Musavuli said.

“We say that people from Kong must be alive so that they can renew the country for the benefit of the African continent. That is why DRC needs a break. Not only for themselves, but also for the entire African continent.”