Conflicts have, you may know, increased in recent months in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, marked by nationwide wars and international wars. According to several sources including the BBC, conflicts have escalated between the Congolese army and the March 23 Movement (commonly known as the M23) — an armed group formed in 2012 and primarily made up of Tutsi rebels—in recent months. Hundreds of civilians in the eastern region have been killed by the M23 rebel group, which has committed summary executions and the forced recruitment of civilians in eastern Congo, in the recent conflicts and thousands of Congolese have fled their homes near Goma, leading to a growing cause of concern.
Definitely, current conflicts are multifold over controversial issues including territorial disputes, resource control and land taxation. The recently rise tension between Congo and Rwanda also fueled the recent conflicts in the eastern region of Congo, where the dynamics of conflicts is complex. While Congo was in international wars with countries including Rwanda and Uganda for years since 1996, conflicts after the Second Congo war involve several groups including the Congolese army and the M23 rebels, along with ethnic militias. The Allied Democratic Forces and the Cooperative for the Development of Congo often carry out attacks and there are inter-communal clashes in Mai-Ndombe province. Notably, civil wars, local feuds and cross-border conflicts have killed 5.4 million and displaced 5.6 million in the last three decades.
Global, regional and national efforts have brought notable success in ending devastating conflicts, rendered the world’s worst since the Second World War, and improving the situation. The peace agreements including the Pretoria Accord between Rwanda and Congo signed in 2002 led to the end of the Second Congo War in 2003 with the placement of the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and reduced conflicts. Also, the United Nations mission — the MONUSCO—in DR Congo managed to improve the internal security of the country and helped the Congolese Government restore and maintain its political independence and territorial integrity. But efforts are yet to successfully address the dynamics of the multifold nature of the recent conflicts and mitigate them.
It is desired that conflicts in the central African country, which has incredibly valuable natural resources including gold and coltan, are mitigated. In this respect, addressing the causes of conflicts is imperative, along with the improvement of the security situation. Definitely, holding discussions among the conflicting parties including the government of DR Congo and the M23 may be helpful. But the mitigation of tension between Congo and its neighboring Rwanda is also crucial to mitigate conflicts in DR Congo. For this, continued efforts are needed, even if Angolan-led mediation efforts by the African Union between the presidents of Congo and Rwanda have made little progress. The role of global mechanisms in conflict resolution is also important.
Amir M Sayem
Chief Editor
Dhaka Opinion Magazine
