M23 Rebels Seek Political Power in DRC Conflict

The Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group, active since 2021 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), seeks to control more than just mining sites in eastern DRC. According to researchers’ findings, the M23’s strategy involves disrupting local governance in North Kivu by replacing Congolese authorities, seizing trade routes, and implementing a complex taxation system to bolster its economic and political hold on the community. These efforts deepen tensions over land and customary authority, issues that trace back to colonial migrations and conflicts around land rights among Hutu, Tutsi, and indigenous communities. M23’s actions exacerbate longstanding ethnic disputes and have intensified local militarization, as both M23 and the local militias that oppose it tax and control resources to sustain the conflict. These findings indicate that resolving historical grievances and restoring legitimate governance are critical for lasting peace in the region.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION