The East African Community Heads of State, on May 31, held the 21^st extraordinary summit in in Bujumbura, Burundi. On agenda was the security crisis in eastern DRC.

Among the key resolutions of the summit was that the security situation in eastern DRC can only be sustainably resolved through a political process and dialogue among all parties. Kinshasa was urged to work with the facilitator, Uhuru Kenyatta –former Kenyan president – in setting the appropriate dates for resumption of the inter-Congolese dialogue.

Inter-Congolese dialogues are held under the EAC-led Nairobi process. So far, three have been conducted, convening Congolese armed groups, civil society groups, Congolese leaders, and victims of sexual violence.

 

However, the Nairobi talks failed to include the M23 rebels. Without involving all partners having a hand in the crisis, a breakthrough in ending hostilities is unlikely.

 

Although well intentioned, the EAC is missing an opportunity in addressing the root causes that led to the grievances in the first place.

 

Genocide ideology

 

One of the key reasons why the M23 rebels are fighting, is to protect the lives of the Congolese Tutsi.

Twenty-nine years ago, in Rwanda, genocide ideology resulted in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Following the defeat of the genocidal regime, the Rwandan génocidaires fled to DRC, where they were welcomed, given a safe haven and later formed the FDLR.

 

Apart from forming a terrorist group, FDLR, intent on finishing the ‘uncompleted genocide’, they mingled with the then peace-loving Congolese population, and slowly injected them with their genocide ideology. Today, in DRC history is repeating itself. Congolese Tutsi are being discriminated, tortured and killed.

 

No single individual was tried for inciting hate speech, killing Congolese Tutsi, or looting and damaging their properties.

 

Following her official visit to the DRC, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, issued statements on two different occasions, denouncing the abuses occurring in eastern DRC, including the targeting of civilians based on their ethnicity or perceived affiliation (Tutsi Congolese).

 

“The current violence is a warning sign of societal fragility and proof of the enduring presence of the conditions that allowed large-scale hatred and violence to erupt into a genocide in the past,” she said.

 

For decades, Kinshasa has refused to take serious action against this genocide ideology, which led to the formation of M23 as a means of self-defence. It is imperative that the inter-Congolese dialogues address this issue once and for all.

 

On January 12, following a consultative meeting with the M23 leaders, Uhuru Kenyatta, the EAC facilitator, acknowledged that they had agreed to withdraw from their occupied territories. From there, the rebels noted with appreciation that the fourth Nairobi consultations will directly seek to consolidate all the gains of the last few months and assist in bringing greater peace and stability in eastern DRC.

 

But Kinshasa has adamantly refused to dialogue with the rebels, and instead branded them as terrorists. One can only hope that despite their absence the Nairobi talks will address their problems.

 

Armed groups

 

Presently, there are more than 130 local and foreign armed groups operating in the country’s restive east.

 

Many of these groups receive support from the Congolese government and security forces. They include FDLR – a Rwandan genocidal terror group formed by remnants of the masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi – and ADF, a Ugandan terror group.

 

These armed groups thrive through illegal mining, illegal trade, looting, taxing citizens, and theft.

 

Congolese army commanders sell arms to armed groups they are supposed to fight, and report ghost numbers of military personnel to increase their monthly earnings. The plague of bad governance continues to affect the country, because all these individuals responsible go unpunished.

 

The country’s governance deficit, where public administration is in shambles and civil servants mutated into predators, people expect very little from the state, government or civil servants. This makes it impossible to ensure their security, wellbeing or any glimpse of development

 

According to the UN Refugee agency, in 2023, as a result of violence generated by armed groups, 5.8 million people were internally displaced across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tanganyika, in the east of DRC. Over one million Congolese refugees and asylum-seekers are in countries neighbouring the DRC.

 

Kinshasa and EAC should understand that finding a solution to the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC would require addressing the underlying causes of the violence.

 

The eastern DRC conflict needs a better diagnosis. A good look at what’s underneath is the only approach that will help the country, and the region.