Keep Eyes on DRC
The conflict in the Democratic Republic has not gone away, yet many throughout the world treat it as so. “Free Congo” has been a popular chant, but it holds no standing when people don’t specify why Congo needs attention. The DRC has been the site of devastating violence, with analysts noting the targeted attacks on women and children. Thousands have been killed and those who do survive have little choice but to flee. The people in the DRC should not have to fight alone and it is imperative to highlight what they are forced to run from.
Particularly in the eastern region of the country, conflict has escalated since the beginning of 2025 alone. For over 30 years fighting between armed groups has been going on, sometimes involving the neighboring countries of Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi. Multiple armed groups along with the presence of neighboring countries results in a complicated and layered history that requires an extended breakdown. Due to this, this statement will focus on recent events from the start of January 2025 onwards.
One of the more powerful rebel groups, called M23, has seized the cities of Goma and Bukavu in the beginning of this year. M23 is backed by over 4,000 soldiers from Rwanda and has been accused multiple times of committing ‘summary executions’ as well as other forms of crimes against humanity. On the 14th of February, the rebel group claimed to have taken control of the Kavumu Airport in Bukavu, which was a main hub for receiving NGOs as well as military flights. It is also where the DRC’s soldiers had been stationed, making its seizure exceptionally notable. M23 makes claims that they are fighting for the rights of the ethnic group, Tutsis, but many analysts note that M23 has gone beyond this, effectively taking control of territories as well as mines. Eastern Congo is rich in minerals and multiple groups, including M23, are eager to exploit it, by any means necessary, for their own profit.
The impact of M23 has been catastrophic. Since late January, almost 3,000 have been killed and 2,800 injured. Since the start of the year, over 237,000 people have been displaced. There are multiple reports of children being executed and attacks on hospitals. High rates of sexual violence are occurring, with rape and sexual exploitation commonly used as a military tactic. The ongoing fighting between M23, the DRC military, and other armed groups has resulted in over 6 million people being forced to flee over the years, resulting in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Another tragic trend within all of this is the recruitment of children, which both the Congolese military and rebel groups have been accused of. The rates of sexual violence against children have reached unprecedented levels, noted UNICEF. Young girls and boys have been attacked at abhorrent levels and the use of sexual violence is being used as a tactic of war. While many families flee from the ongoing battles, some children get separated and are especially vulnerable to armed groups. In two weeks alone in the Kivu province, 1,100 children were registered as unaccompanied minors. Children as young as 12 are being recruited or forced to fight by various armed groups, including the military.
The DRC has been repeatedly exploited and targeted. Many countries have their hands in Congo and are stopping at nothing to benefit from their minerals and land. As the conflict goes on, more children will die. More people will be forced to flee. Congo cries have been falling on deaf ears and it is beyond time to do more. It’s time to be clear exactly what Congo must be freed from. Rwanda must withdraw its presence from the DRC and face justice for its crimes. The history of colonization and imperialism is evident as foreign groups utilize violence to conquer wealth. Congo belongs to the Congolese, and it is beyond time they benefit from their land since everyone else has.
#FreeCongo
#HandsOffCongo
Sources:
https://www.aljazeera.com/program/start-here/2025/3/3/whats-happening-in-dr-congo-start-here
