SILENT GLOBAL RESPONSE TO ANOTHER AFRICAN CONFLICT?
Once again, an old conflict has resurfaced in Africa, this time in the already fragile Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Many international organizations, including the United Nations, have pointed to Rwanda’s active involvement in supporting the M23 Rebels in the Eastern DRC region of Goma. However, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has vehemently denied these accusations, even going as far as to claim in a CNN interview with Larry Madowo that he has no knowledge of who is involved or not in the conflict
However, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, responding to questions regarding Rwanda’s involvement, confirmed the presence of Rwandan troops supporting the M23 rebels, citing significant troop numbers. He also condemned the killings of peacekeepers, noting the tragic deaths of three, including two from South Africa and one from Uruguay, along with twelve others injured. The conflict has also shaken the relationship between Rwanda and South Africa. South African peacekeepers were killed by the rebels. The United States of America, the global hegemon, and regional bodies have also called for calm, but so far, these efforts appear to have yielded little positive change.
Many suspect that the conflict is driven by geopolitical interests, particularly the desire of various actors to control the mineral-rich region of Goma. This area holds valuable resources, such as cobalt, which are crucial for the next phase of technological development, especially for industries reliant on precious minerals.
Colonel Willy Ngoma, a key figure in the rebellion, has appeared in multiple videos, asserting that his forces are fighting for their survival. To a large extent, this claim holds weight, as foreign mercenaries, allegedly from Eastern European countries, were reportedly hired by the Congolese government. This was due to the Congolese army’s lack of resources to effectively combat the rebels, resulting in heavy casualties on their side.
Meanwhile, the fighting undermines earlier peace agreements that aimed to incorporate the M23 rebels into the Congolese army and provide a political path for them through multiparty democracy. This would have allowed them to operate as a legitimate political party within Goma and the broader DRC.
One cannot overlook the ethnic dimensions of this conflict, particularly the reemergence of the longstanding Hutu-Tutsi rivalry, further fueled by alleged involvement from Rwanda and the DRC. At the end of the day, I find myself agreeing with Colonel Ngoma’s assertion that they are indeed fighting for their lives—but whose lives are truly at stake here? History shows that many conflicts are used as a means to achieve freedom, but the repeated outbreaks of violence in Africa, particularly in Goma, raise serious questions.
How many more lives must be lost, and how many more must be displaced, before a long-lasting peace is achieved? This recurring conflict will only continue to set back the lives of the innocent people in this already unstable region.
According to the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, “What is unfolding in Goma is compounding one of the most protracted and complex humanitarian crises on Earth, with nearly 6.5 million displaced people in the country, including close to three million displaced in North Kivu”.
Furthermore, major news outlets have also reported that over 150 female prisoners were brutally raped and burned to death in a horrific prison fire during a jailbreak last week when escaping male inmates set the prison alight. According to the UN, most of the 165 female prisoners who were raped by the male inmates perished in the blaze. To date, nearly 3,000 people have lost their lives in Goma as a result of intense fighting between the Congolese army and the rebels. The city was captured by the M23 rebels following days of fierce clashes, further exacerbating the human suffering in this already fragile region.
Major news outlets have also reported that hundred of female prisoners were brutally raped and burned to death in a horrific prison fire during a jailbreak in February when escaping male inmates set the prison alight.
Once again, we are left asking: when will this endless cycle of violence end? The biggest question is why the deafening silence because this conflict seems to be a silent killer. Nobody shouts about it!
The biggest question is “why the deafening silence?” This conflict seems to be a silent disruptor of lives. Yet no one shouts about it!