The conflict and killings in Congo DRC the world is not talking about

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been entrenched in a prolonged humanitarian crisis, witnessing over 12 million deaths since 1996. 

This tragic situation is often linked to Western capitalist interests exploiting the country’s rich natural resources, including coltan, cobalt, and copper. The conflict, exacerbated by the Rwandan-backed M23 offensive in the Kivu region of eastern Congo, has resulted in massive displacements, famines, a rise in poverty levels, and the use of child labor in mines.

While there are many armed militias fighting the Congolese military within the Kivu regions, the two most notable groups are the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Central African offshoot of IS*S, and the M23 Movement, a militia group claiming to represent the disenfranchised Tutsi and Kinyarwanda peoples within eastern Congo. Clashes and conflict have escalated once again in October of 2023, deepening the already dire humanitarian situation. Over 5.8 million people have been displaced, 48 women are raped hourly by members of the rebellion, and as of January 2023, more than 2,000 homes have been destroyed.

Adding to the horror, there are reports of mutilations, atrocious killings, and even the rape of infants, illustrating the extreme and inhumane nature of the violence inflicted upon the Congolese population. This underscores the urgent need for international awareness and action to end this devastating exploitation and protect the fundamental rights of the people.

History Since European colonization:
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has suffered at the hands of violence and systematic exploitations by western nations. With King Leopold brutally exploiting the Congolese people for rubber and ivory causing of 5 to 10 million deaths. The DRC has always been home to over 1,100 precious minerals and the world’s largest reserve of coltan and this is major root to this exploitation. 

Coltan is a natural mineral that is essential in the creation of aerospace technology, electronic devices, and the overall innovation in technology. Multinational mining companies have been after Congo’s natural resources for centuries and because of so, the people have been suffering silently at the expense of western greed.