After 15 years of one of the African continent's most complex conflicts, the Democratic Republic of Congo is on the path to peace, as the M23, the leading rebel group that has been fighting the government of the country, announced on Tuesday that its troops would disarm.
The leader of the M23, Betrand Bisimwa, announced that the group would end the rebellion and cooperate with the government in order to find a peaceful agreement that addresses the root causes of the conflict.
The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo has its origins in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. After the Hutus killed an estimated 800,000 Tutsis, thousands of Hutu refugees fled to the neighboring Democratic of Congo seeking refuge. At the time, the Democratic Republic of Congo was known by the name of Zaire, and it was ruled under the iron fist of Mobuto Sese Seko, who opened the doors of the nation to participants of the genocide who feared what would happen to them when conflict ended. When elections were later held in Rwanda, Paul Kagame, a Tutsi, was elected president.
Kagame then helped Zaire overthrow President Mobuto, and help Laurent Kanila ascend to the presidency. This allowed Kagame to indirectly assert control over the Democratic Republic of Congo and search for the Hutus who had taken refuge in the country, which led to the occupation of various areas of the DRC.
Since then, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been a nation known for its political and ethnic violence. The country has attracted even more attention due to its resource-rich soil, abundant in diamonds, coltan, and other minerals. Neighboring countries such as Rwanda and Uganda, apart from the various rebel groups, have taken advantage of the political instability of the country in order to exploit its natural resources.
The conflict between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese government has so far resulted in the death of 5 million people and the displacement of more than 100,000 refugees, many of whom have gone to Uganda. Refugees have been torn from their families, children were separated from their parents while running from the border, and people suffering from various illnesses were left behind.
Now, however, now that the M23 have announced their disarmament, it seems like there may be a glimmer of hope for the country. The government has announced that an 11-point declaration would be eventually signed between its government and the rebel group, but only when the M23 members had seriously implanted a ceasefire and disarmament plan.
There are many complex issues that will have to be addressed once negotiations resume, and it is unclear how much an 11-point declaration will be able to address, but it is a start. In the meantime, the government has stated that it will tread carefully until the disarmament is certified.
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Video Wednesday: M23 Rebels Declare Ceasefire in DRC
November 6, 2013
After 15 years of one of the African continent's most complex conflicts, the Democratic Republic of Congo is on the path to peace, as the M23, the leading rebel group that has been fighting the government of the country, announced on Tuesday that its troops would disarm.
The leader of the M23, Betrand Bisimwa, announced that the group would end the rebellion and cooperate with the government in order to find a peaceful agreement that addresses the root causes of the conflict.
The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo has its origins in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. After the Hutus killed an estimated 800,000 Tutsis, thousands of Hutu refugees fled to the neighboring Democratic of Congo seeking refuge. At the time, the Democratic Republic of Congo was known by the name of Zaire, and it was ruled under the iron fist of Mobuto Sese Seko, who opened the doors of the nation to participants of the genocide who feared what would happen to them when conflict ended. When elections were later held in Rwanda, Paul Kagame, a Tutsi, was elected president.
Kagame then helped Zaire overthrow President Mobuto, and help Laurent Kanila ascend to the presidency. This allowed Kagame to indirectly assert control over the Democratic Republic of Congo and search for the Hutus who had taken refuge in the country, which led to the occupation of various areas of the DRC.
Since then, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been a nation known for its political and ethnic violence. The country has attracted even more attention due to its resource-rich soil, abundant in diamonds, coltan, and other minerals. Neighboring countries such as Rwanda and Uganda, apart from the various rebel groups, have taken advantage of the political instability of the country in order to exploit its natural resources.
The conflict between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese government has so far resulted in the death of 5 million people and the displacement of more than 100,000 refugees, many of whom have gone to Uganda. Refugees have been torn from their families, children were separated from their parents while running from the border, and people suffering from various illnesses were left behind.
Now, however, now that the M23 have announced their disarmament, it seems like there may be a glimmer of hope for the country. The government has announced that an 11-point declaration would be eventually signed between its government and the rebel group, but only when the M23 members had seriously implanted a ceasefire and disarmament plan.
There are many complex issues that will have to be addressed once negotiations resume, and it is unclear how much an 11-point declaration will be able to address, but it is a start. In the meantime, the government has stated that it will tread carefully until the disarmament is certified.
