The capture of Goma on January 31 by M23 rebels and Rwandan troops has sparked a humanitarian crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with civilians fleeing and aid warehouses looted. The situation is further complicated by the involvement of Rwandan troops, who have been fighting alongside the M23 and providing them with advanced military hardware. Diplomatic efforts are underway to address the crisis, but tensions remain high, with both sides refusing to back down.
Goma, the capital of the province of North Kivu, is a city of some 600,000 inhabitants and hosts more than 800,000 internally displaced persons.
The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is fueled by complex historical, political, and economic factors. Rwanda’s support for rebel groups, including the M23, is a significant factor, with Kigali citing security concerns and threats against ethnic Tutsis in the region. Most of these supposedly come from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a collection of Hutus who fled Rwanda after committing genocide there.
Observers also cite Rwanda’s economic interests in the mineral resources of the eastern DRC. Gold, diamonds, and coltan (a crucial mineral for electronic devices, especially smartphones) are smuggled to Rwanda. There these are mixed with legitimately mined minerals and exported, making the tracing of conflict minerals impossible.
Despite international condemnation and calls for de-escalation, Rwanda’s actions have been met with limited consequences, as the West considers President Kagame a valuable ally in the region. The lack of active attempts to stop the advances of M23 raises concerns about the potential for further escalation and a repeat of the devastating wars of the 1990s.
The Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bruno Lemarquis (of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), states that the situation is dire:
“Basic services are largely paralyzed. Electricity and drinking water have been cut off for several days, forcing the population to draw directly on untreated water from Lake Kivu. This situation exposes thousands of people to the immediate risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera. The morgues are full, and the lifeless bodies left in the streets of the city pose a major health risk for the survivors.
Humanitarian infrastructure and warehouses have been looted, severely compromising the humanitarian response. Significant quantities of food, medicines, and essential medical supplies have been lost in targeted attacks on United Nations agencies and humanitarian NGOs critical to the emergency response.”
What you can do: Support MSF, the ICRC. Contact your representative and Senator and urge them to reverse the US exit from the WHO.
