Crisis in the Congo: Voices on from the Frontlines
Channel: Africa Faith and Justice Network
Date: 2023-03-21

The Africa Faith and Justice Network and Friends of the Congo held a briefing “Crisis in the Congo: Voices from the Frontlines” with Justine Masika and Pascal Mugaruka from Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They provided firsthand accounts of the atrocities, displacement and occupation being carried out by the Rwanda-backed M23 militia and shared policy prescriptions that U.S. policymakers can implement in order to contribute to peace and stability in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The DRC's insecurity has external causes starting with its neighboring countries to the East. Rwanda and Uganda, have been accused of supporting armed groups in the DRC for their own political and economic interests, mainly fueled by international demand for DRC’s natural resources. According to S/2022/967, the Midterm Report of the UN Group of Experts published in December 2022, the United Nations has officially established that Rwanda is involved in a proxy war against the DRC in the guise of the M23 rebel group. Local and foreign armed groups have been fighting for control of territory and resources that include  minerals, timber, and wildlife. This has resulted in gross human rights abuses and widespread insecurity, leading to the violent massacre of countless innocent lives and displacement of civilians.