On the 25th of January, the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23 marched into the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, capturing Goma, forcing thousands to flee and killing numerous people, including 20 peace-keeping mission soldiers, claimed Anadolu Ajansi. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), located in Central Africa, is the second-largest country on the continent, with a population of over 100 million.
Despite its vast size and rich mineral resources, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with one of the lowest per capita incomes. This paradox is driven by years of colonial exploitation, political instability, and ongoing conflicts, particularly over the control of valuable resources. The DRC’s situation is a tragic example of how wealth can become a curse when governance, peace, and development are lacking.
It’s worth noting that the conflict is not new; rather, it is deeply embedded in the history of both countries. Most international commentators termed the invasion as Rwandan-backed, suggesting it was an attempt to gain control of the mineral-rich eastern region of Congo – a claim that the Rwandan government and the leader of M23 both denied. Furthermore, they pointed to the Tutsis of the DRC, who have been victims of genocide at the hands of the Hutus, and argued that the Congolese government failed to integrate them into the military as promised in the 2013 peace deal. However, the Congolese believe that M23 and the Rwandan government have hidden motives.
Both countries, having been former Belgian colonies, became arch-enemies right after decolonization due to tribal tensions, as the Tutsis were favored by the Belgian colonizers over the majority Hutus, which, in turn, created deep rifts. The colonial legacy not only sowed division but also institutionalized ethnic conflict and deepened socio-economic inequalities ultimately leading to genocide.
Even after gaining independence, the conflict continued to escalate both in scope and intensity. The Hutus carried out a genocide that claimed the lives of more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. This, in turn, led to a tug-of-war between the two countries, as the Hutus were given refuge by the Congolese, which was unacceptable to the Rwandans. The Rwandans repeatedly urged the Congolese to disavow the genocidal Hutus.
The conflict is deeply rooted in violence and bloodshed from both sides. It began with the first Rwandan conflict when Hutu leaders and Tutsi rebels (RPF – Rwandan Patriotic Front) clashed, leading to a civil war. Tensions flared again after the assassination of Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana, triggering the genocide of the Tutsis, as mentioned earlier. After the genocide, the defeated Hutus and former Rwandan Defense Forces (FAR) fled to the DRC (then eastern Zaire), where they formed the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR). Their presence in the DRC became a major security threat to Rwanda.
This concern sparked the First Congo War, during which the Tutsi-led RPF, backed by Rwanda and Uganda, launched an offensive, overthrowing Zaire’s longtime ruler, Mobutu SeseSeko, and installing Laurent-Désiré Kabila as president. Kabila, to everyone’s surprise, distanced himself from his backers, which in turn led to the Second Congo War. This time, four countries – Angola, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe – became involved. The underlying concern remained the same: Rwanda insisted that it feared the FDLR could regroup and launch attacks on its territory.
The M23 rebel group, or the March 23 Movement, was formed in 2012 when the formerly Tutsi-dominated party, the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), mutinied against the Congolese government. The rebellion was triggered by the government’s failure to implement the March 23 Agreement, which aimed to ensure protection, citizenship rights, refugee rights, and security reforms for the Tutsi minority in eastern DRC. M23 quickly gained control of North Kivu and the strategically important city of Goma.
The Congolese government accused Rwanda of supporting M23, citing evidence of military and logistical assistance from Kigali. Under mounting pressure from its Western allies, Rwandan President Paul Kagame was forced to withdraw support for the group. This led to M23’s defeat in 2013 at the hands of the Congolese army and UN peacekeeping forces.
Although the rebels regrouped in 2021 and resumed their attacks on eastern Congo, they have recently captured Goma. The group’s leader stated that they plan to fight all the way to Kinshasa, the national capital, which is a thousand miles away. There are various speculations about their intentions. Congolese officials claim that the rebels seek to take control of the mineral-rich region of the DRC. On the other hand, M23 asserts that they are fighting to protect the Tutsi ethnic minority, as eastern Congo has a significant Tutsi population.
The situation is undeniably complex – an interplay of politics and the struggle for resource control. The northeastern region, where the fighting is taking place, is rich in iron ore, gold, coal, and tantalum, all of which are valuable resources. Tantalum, in particular, is a critical mineral used in electronic devices. Therefore, the conflict becomes clearer when viewed in its entirety: the motivations are both ethnic and economic. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that despite being resource-rich, the DRC remains one of the poorest countries in the world, especially when compared to Rwanda, which has experienced significant economic growth. Various factors contribute to this disparity, including political upheavals, wars, and ethnic conflicts. Meanwhile, many of the DRC’s resources are controlled by international companies, which extract minerals and exploit child labor.
Child labor is also a dark chapter in Congolese history. While abundant resources can be a blessing, leading a country toward development and prosperity, in the case of Africa, they can often be seen as a curse. Resources in Africa have become a source of exploitation and conflict. According to a report by Amnesty International, more than 255,000 Congolese workers are employed in cobalt mines, extracting minerals for Western multinational corporations, often under dire conditions. Among them, over 40,000 children work in these mines in appalling conditions – an issue that is often overlooked.
In conclusion, the conflict in eastern Congo is more than just a regional dispute – it is a tragic cycle of violence, history, and greed. From colonial divisions to ethnic tensions, from power struggles to economic exploitation, the region has been shaped by forces beyond the control of ordinary people who continue to suffer the most. The war is not just about borders or ethnicity; it is also about control over valuable resources that fuel global industries while leaving Congolese communities in poverty. The world watches, often in silence, as lives are lost and futures stolen. True peace will only come when both political and economic interests no longer outweigh human lives. The curse of the resource-rich is that the wealth of the land too often becomes the cause of its people’s misery.
