M23 and Congo: A New War, An Old Story

 Without ever setting foot in the Congo he colonized, Belgium’s King Leopold II ruled from afar and went down in history’s darkest pages for the atrocities he committed. On his rubber plantations, Congolese forced to labor had their hands cut off if they failed to meet quotas. More than 10 million Congolese were either killed or subjected to horrific abuse during this period.

In 1960, under the leadership of the heroic Patrice Lumumba, Congo finally gained independence. But the joy was short-lived. Lumumba was executed by firing squad, his body destroyed with acid—leaving behind only a single tooth.

What followed was 32 years of a U.S.-backed dictatorship under Mobutu Sese Seko, and then three decades of wars that claimed millions of lives. Today, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains one of Africa’s most unfortunate nations.

With recent events finally drawing global attention, it is necessary to revisit the history of Congo’s unending chaos.

What Has Happened in Congo Over the Past Thirty Years?

The ethnic divide between Hutu and Tutsi, deepened by Belgian colonial rule, culminated in the horrific 1994 genocide in Rwanda. In just 100 days, nearly one million people—most of them Tutsi—were massacred.

After the genocide, nearly two million Rwandans fled to eastern Congo’s Kivu region. Among them were extremist Hutus who organized militant groups, while Tutsis formed their own counter-forces.

Claiming that Hutu groups in Congo posed a threat to its security, Rwanda launched an operation against Mobutu’s regime in 1996, sparking the First Congo War. The dictator was toppled, and Laurent Kabila came to power, initially reconciling with Rwanda.

But the peace didn’t last. When Kabila tried to limit Tutsi influence, the Second Congo War erupted in 1998. This time, the DRC had backing from Namibia, Angola, and Zimbabwe, while Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi fought on the opposite side. In 2001, Kabila was assassinated, his son Joseph Kabila took power, and peace negotiations eventually brought the war to an end.

Although large-scale clashes subsided until 2009, Congo’s problems persisted. External powers continued to destabilize the country to profit from its resources.

In this fragile environment of corruption and injustice, a dangerous force emerged in the east: the March 23 Movement (M23).

How Did M23 Begin?

M23, or the March 23 Movement, takes its name from the peace agreement signed on March 23, 2009, between the Congolese government and CNDP (National Congress for the Defense of the People), a group largely composed of Congolese Tutsi (and, according to some claims, Rwandan Tutsi) rebels.

Under the agreement, CNDP fighters laid down arms and were integrated into the Congolese army.

But just three years later, many of these former rebels defected, claiming mistreatment. In reality, CNDP commanders had used their army positions to gain power and profit from illegal trade. They were heavily involved in illicit mining, extortion, and smuggling in Congo’s resource-rich east. Human rights groups documented numerous cases of CNDP fighters committing atrocities, including sexual violence, kidnappings, and abuses against civilians.

Fearing prosecution, they broke away and formed a new group: M23.

Since its inception, M23 has been accused of receiving support from Rwanda under President Paul Kagame. Rwanda has consistently denied the allegations, despite UN reports pointing to its involvement.

In 2012, M23 briefly captured Goma, the capital of North Kivu, but international pressure and Congolese army offensives with UN backing forced them into retreat in 2013. Many fighters fled to Rwanda and Uganda.

By 2021, however, M23 had resurged, carrying out major attacks in eastern Congo. This time, Western countries withdrew support for the DRC army, while Kinshasa hired foreign mercenaries. But when mercenaries were paid salaries dozens of times higher than local soldiers, resentment weakened the army—ironically making mercenaries among the first to be captured by M23.

Last week, M23 once again seized control of Goma, now under new leadership. Corneille Nangaa, a former head of the national electoral commission who later turned against the government, announced that his AFC/M23 forces would advance toward Kinshasa. The growing number of local militias aligning with M23 only deepens concerns about the conflict spiraling further.

Why Congo?

The endless cycle of conflict cannot simply be reduced, as Western media often portrays, to “tribal wars” rooted in history. Congo’s tragedy lies in its immense wealth.

The Kivu region, perpetually at war, holds about 60% of the world’s coltan reserves—an essential mineral for modern technology. These resources are a magnet for armed groups and foreign states alike.

Most of the country’s mining operations are run by foreign actors, including China, several Western nations, and Israeli investors. Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler, for instance, built a vast fortune through questionable deals in Congo’s mining sector.

Although Rwanda has little coltan of its own, it matches Congo in coltan exports. This is possible only through the smuggling of Congo’s minerals, facilitated by armed groups allegedly backed by Kigali. By using Rwanda as a front, European companies and global powers secure access to Congo’s wealth while shielding themselves from legal accountability.

The Bigger Picture

The M23 crisis is only one fragment of Congo’s decades-long instability. Global powers and tech companies have no interest in bringing peace to the DRC; instability ensures cheap and easy access to minerals.

Ruanda’s recent call for Turkey to mediate was rejected by Kinshasa, which refuses to negotiate directly with M23. Meanwhile, in just five days, more than 700 people have already lost their lives in the renewed violence.

A quick resolution seems unlikely. The DRC’s suffering continues, caught between its own fractured politics and the relentless appetite of global powers for its natural wealth.

 

This article was originally published in Independent Türkçe, on February 5, 2024.