Introduction: The crisis that is rooted in tragedy
From 1996 to the present times, the conflict that occurred in eastern DRC led to approximately six million deaths. From 1996 to the present times, the conflict that occurred in eastern DRC led to approximately six million deaths. The DRC's current warring with Rwanda (and others) spirals from the First and Second Congo Wars (Africa's World War). Those wars spiraled from the Rwandan Genocide. The Rwandan Genocide spiraled from the Rwandan Civil War. The Rwandan Civil War spiraled from Germany and Belgium's dividing the Rwandan peoples - classifying the Tutsi as the more affluent minority and the Hutu as the poorer majority of the country.

Background
In 2012, the M23 which stands for the Mouvement du 23 Mars was created as an armed group in Rwanda operating in the DRC due to the grievances of the peace agreement that was signed on March 23, 2009, between the Congolese government and the rebel group before the M23. The failure of the peace agreement happened because of the incomplete integration of the CNDP Fighters, and Rwanda’s support of former CNDP members which was undermining the peace process. The M23 was defeated in 2013, but they rebuilt themselves in 2021, and they are one of the biggest threats to peace in the region.

The Current Situation: A Recent Shift
The conflict continues, and in response to the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), President Félix Tshisekedi has announced a major military leadership revision. This tactic addresses growing security challenges to which the M23 rebel group contributed, whose increased activity has resulted in the unlawful activity of key territories such as Katale and Masisi. This has also caused forced mass displacement and exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. Lieutenant-General Jules Banza Mwilambwe has been appointed the new Chief of General Staff, replacing former General Christian Tshiwewe. Senior military leaders operating in the volatile eastern regions have also been replaced. These changes were implemented because Tshisekedi attempted to regain control over the deteriorating security situation as the M23 rebels continued to advance. Even the efforts placed on the conflict are still difficult to resolve. Why? It is due to the minerals located in the region, which are gold, tantalum, cobalt, and coltan, that fuel competition among the armed groups, while external support of M23 continue to complicate the effects of stabilization in conflict. The established method of influencing the decisions and behavior of foreign governments through regional mechanisms, such as the East African Community (EAC) force, has yielded limited results, with accusations that some peacekeeping forces have worked with the M23 rather than try to challenge them. According to the United Nations, M23 and various other armed groups forced more than 520,000 people to flee their homes, and this has exacerbated an already unfortunate security and humanitarian situation in North Kivu and the eastern region.

Impact on the Civil Population:
M23, displaying over 500,000 people, has had a significant impact, making entire communities uprooted and adding to the number of people seeking refugee. Access to basic needs, which are food, water, and medical care, has been hard to obtain. Women and Children are the most affected. In addition, the United Nations reported this rampant gender-based violence, but international attention to the issue still has not been given.

Review of Government and Military Response:
The change in leadership shows the government's acknowledgment of failure to address M23 as a threat. Some critique this change as being a reactive rather than a strategic response. Civil society organizations, such a Fally Ipupa Foundation and IOM , wanted a more complete approach that addresses accountability and development in the regions experiencing these effects. The appropriate measures to address the problem is to develop plans that combat the root of the problem.

Why This Matters: A Call to Action
This crisis is not just a regional issue but a global one. The DRC contains many minerals needed to make technology, however, these minerals are exploited for their technology, which has resulted in violence and suffering. Resolving the conflict is not only for moral reasons but also for regional stability and the global supply chain attached. Human lives are being used to fuel the greed of corporations and exploit the natural resources of Congo.

The global community needs to help resolve the conflict by holding perpetrators accountable, supporting humanitarian responses, and pressuring regional participants like Rwanda to cease supporting any armed groups. Civil Society has shown resilience in the DRC, but more serious organizing needs to be taken to break the cycle of violence and build a future where we can actively see peace flourish.

In conclusion, President Tshisekedi's military change is a step in the right direction. A more holistic approach to defeating the M23 is needed. For instance this approach should redirect the priorities to building peace, justice, and development. We must continue the fight to end violence in the Congo.

Written by Victoria Webb

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a country blessed with abundant natural resources, including precious minerals like cobalt, diamonds, gold, and coltan. However, to the Congolese, this abundance has had the unintentional effect of attracting much violence and misfortune to them. The minerals that should have brought prosperity have, instead, attracted foreign exploitation, conflict, and suffering. To understand how we got here, we have to look back at the DRC’s dark history under Belgian colonialism, especially the brutal reign of King Leopold II, and how that legacy still shapes the exploitation of Congo's minerals today.

In the late 19th century, King Leopold II of Belgium seized control of the Congo, not as a Belgian colony but as his personal property. It sounds absurd today, but Leopold essentially owned the Congo Free State, as it was then called, from 1885 to 1908. Under the guise of bringing civilization to the African continent, Leopold's true goal was to extract as much wealth as possible, mainly through the rubber and ivory trade.

Despite wealth being the primary goal, Leopold's regime was notoriously brutal. Millions of Congolese were forced into labor, suffering mutilation, torture, and death if they didn't meet quotas for rubber extraction. The atrocities were so extreme that even other colonial powers and humanitarian organizations of the time took notice, which led to an international outcry. By the time Leopold relinquished control to the Belgian government in 1908, an estimated 10 million Congolese had died.

Though Belgium took over from Leopold, things didn’t get any better for the Congolese. The focus on extracting resources continued, with little regard for the welfare of the local population. When Congo gained independence in 1960, the newly independent nation plunged into chaos. The Cold War powers saw Congo as a battleground for influence, making the goal of reaching stable governance much more difficult.

This instability, combined with the presence of valuable minerals, set the stage for the current state of the Congo. The DRC is home to vast reserves of minerals that are essential to modern technology, like cobalt, which is a key component in the batteries that power everything from smartphones to electric cars. Coltan, another mineral found in abundance in Congo, is critical to the production of electronics.

Despite the Congo being an independent state, the exploitation of its resources still continues. Today, multinational corporations and corrupt elites in the Congo profit from the country’s mineral wealth, while most Congolese people live in poverty. Much of this modern exploitation is driven by the global demand for electronics and renewable energy technologies, which rely almost exclusively on Congo’s minerals.

The situation mirrors, almost exactly, King Leopold’s reign. Just like during the colonial period, foreign interests and local elites extract wealth from the country while the people of Congo bear the brunt of the suffering. There’s still a brutal disregard for human life in the pursuit of profit, though now it's for high-tech gadgets.

Breaking this cycle is no easy task. The DRC's vast mineral wealth should be a means to achieve prosperity and stability, but without proper governance, transparency, and international recognition, it continues to scar the nation and those who live there. Global tech companies have been called out for their role in perpetuating the exploitation of Congo’s minerals, and some have made efforts to trace their supply chains and ensure they are not sourcing conflict minerals. However, these efforts consistently fail to tackle the problem in a way that is beneficial for those who are harmed.

To truly break the cycle, multinational corporations must be held accountable. This means enforcing stricter regulations on the sourcing of minerals, supporting sustainable and ethical mining practices, and investing in the development of the DRC in ways that benefit the local population.

Moreover, the Congolese people must retain more control over their resources. This means not just ensuring that they receive a fair share of the profits, but also supporting stronger governance and anti-corruption measures within the country. Only by addressing the deep-rooted issues of governance and exploitation can the DRC’s mineral wealth finally be used to benefit its people, rather than to enrich foreign powers and local elites at their expense.

The exploitation of the DRC’s minerals today is part of a long and painful history that began with colonialism. King Leopold’s reign of brutal capitalism set the stage for the exploitation that has continued, in one form or another, to this day. While the actors have changed, the fundamental issue remains: the vast resources of the Congo have enriched others while leaving its people in poverty. Until this cycle is broken, the shadow of colonialism will continue to loom large over the DRC, and the world will remain complicit in the exploitation of a nation that deserves so much more.

Written by Dylan Legend