TUTSI, HUTU CONFLICT IN DRC CONTINUES PART 2

As we indicated in part one of this article in part two we will look more closely at why ECOWAS is backing Kagami and Museveni to the extent of being kicked out of DRC. We examine the involvement of SADC, the Southern African Development Community not as a mediator, but on the side of the Congolese government. ECOWAS stands for Economic Community of West African States. It’s a regional bloc of 15 West African countries that was established in 1975. In 2024, the military governments of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali jointly announced their withdrawal from the bloc, after having been suspended following respective military takeovers in these countries. We have to answer the question what can SADC do that ECOWAS has failed to do? Afterall, ECOWAS know the region and the history better.

We will look deeper into the mineral extraction and the beneficiaries of this illicit trade. While the Tutsi and Hutu ethic rivalry seem to be the geneses of the great lakes conflict, there are more sinister players which have benefitted from this on-going conflict. The fact that millions of lives have been lost, is on no consequence to curtain individuals operating locally and international players who do not want this conflict to end. The exploitation of people of Congo dates back to the colonial times. King Leopold II, in his exploitation of Congo, from 1885-1908, dealt the Congo a future of political, ethnic and economic destabilisation.

Rwanda getting rich through DRC conflict

Despite the fact that Rwanda has no significant mineral resources, reports from Africa Today states that Rwanda’s mineral exports were US$317 million in 2017, however, by the year 2023 they increased to US$1.1 billion. The world’s richest deposits of minerals required for smartphones, electric cars, computer chips and advanced weapons was suddenly under the control of a group of rebels. The AI technology has just increased the future demand for the minerals now controlled by an African Rebel group. After a rapid advance in the region, fighters from the M23 rebel group have captured almost all of Goma – a major city of more than a million people in the east of DR Congo.

Sitting on the border with Rwanda and the shores of Lake Kivu, is a vital trading and transport hub to gold, tin and coltan, which is a key component of the technologies of the future.
It is alleged that Rwanda had been ready for this M23 invasion of Goma and had increased its mineral handing capacity by 40 per cent. Through smuggled routes of Rwanda, the taxes are lower and attracts less international attention. It was as if Rwanda knew about the attack.

The key figures are shocking. More than 400 000 people are displaced over a period of three days. UN aid agencies warn of a major humanitarian crisis with shortages of food and water, hospitals overwhelmed by casualties and bodies lying on the streets. 85 per cent of all the approximately US$50 million per day economic activities stopped. All three major mineral processing centres are captured by the M23 Rebels.

With this second M23 invasion of Goma and human suffering experienced, the African Union and the international community are surprisingly silent this time. United Nations issues statements of concern, Western powers calls for dialog, African Union calls for Pearce talks, China and Japan are conspicuously silent. The reality is that all the international community and big tech companies are secretly involved as buyers of the minerals through Rwanda and possibly Uganda where President Yoweri Museveni has a soft spot for M23 rebels.

M23 military capabilities, shocking

The military capabilities of the M23 rebel group are now far superior to that of an ordinary rebel group. M23 rebels are using advanced weapons and equipment similar to those used by the Israeli army and US special forces, a retired South African army general who survived Goma observed. General Maomela Moreti Motau told the Newsroom, which is a South African broadcaster, that he observed weapons used by the rebels and believes they are not typical of the region. “The weapon I saw, I believe, are one used by the armed forces of Israel.

I could be mistaken, but it is not a weapon that Rwanda generally uses,” said Motau. He pointed out that visuals of rebels, who reportedly overran Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, show their weapons and equipment are not sourced locally. “Those weapons are from forces that manufacture arms themselves. They are not from the region,” he said. The retired general, known for his extensive military experience, added that the M23 rebels are outfitted like a regular army, not a guerrilla force.

“Their uniforms, their equipment—they are not dressed like a ragtag rebel army. I was a former guerrilla fighter myself, so I know what guerrilla fighters look like,” he said. He also noted that the M23 rebels appear to be well-resourced, citing their use of special equipment, such as sunglasses similar to those used by US special forces. “This is not how a non-conventional army looks. They are clearly supported by a powerful force,” he said.

The third force is at play

The general narrative seem easy to blame Rwanda and Uganda as the main supports for the DRC Conflict, it is worth noting that there is a third force that has a vested interest in such important minerals as found in DRC. There is no way the international community, including the technology industry, will allow a multibillion resource like the mineral rich great lakes region to be stable. Stability means higher taxes and higher prices.

The smuggling routes through a few compromised countries like Rwanda works perfect cover for them, especially when we all blame Rwanda for arming and equipping the M23 rebels for some Hutu/Tutsi ethnic conflict. Yes Rwanda benefits, but they are not the mastermind. The answer to this conflict is for the regional bodies, namely SADC and ECOWAS stop taking sides and sit President Felix Tshisekedi down and convince him to stop sending young Congolese to their deaths and talk to the M23 group as fellow Congolese.

This means Congo must recognise the M23 group and their March 23 agreement in the interest of peace. Yes, the colonial bounders divided families, but M23 are Congolese now not Rwandans. Rwanda must stop training M23 fighters and facilitating the lotting of African minerals by the greedy third force who are the western nations. Africa is very rich if we work together as one people not tribes. For comments: septembereswatini@gmail.com   

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