A solider stands guard in a field while a group of people stand behind a cordon Congolese nationals in Durban have spoken about how they feel about the ongoing conflict in the DRC. File Picture: AFP
DEMOCRATIC Republic of the Congo (DRC) nationals living in Durban have voiced their anger and frustration over the ongoing conflict in the east of Congo, blaming the Rwandan backed M23 militia for the instability and chaos.
As the diplomatic fallout between Pretoria and Kigali escalated yesterday following the invasion of Goma and the killing of 13 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) troops, DRC nationals who spoke to The Mercury criticised the international community for failing to hold Rwanda accountable.
They have attributed the conflict not only to the armed groups but also to the economic interests of external players seeking to exploit the DRC’s vast mineral resources.
“This is not just a war between the Congolese government and M23. It is a war for our minerals,” said Thomas Butiriri, a Congolese national who describes Goma as his home town. “They want chaos in our country, so they can take our resources without anyone stopping them.”
Butiriri, who left the DRC due to violence and instability, lamented the cyclical nature of the conflict.
“They (M23) say they want peace, but every time there is an agreement, they break it. They demand to be part of the government; we include them, but then they go back into the bush, take up arms again, and start making new demands. It’s a cycle that never ends. We are tired.”
The M23 rebel group, which claims to fight for the rights of Congolese Tutsis, has been accused of committing atrocities, displacing thousands, and seizing territory in the eastern DRC.
“Rwanda is pretending to be innocent, but we all know the truth. Paul Kagame (Rwandan president) is behind this,” said Mutende Tenda, another Congolese national living in Durban.
Tenda criticised South Africa’s decision to deploy troops as part of a regional peacekeeping mission, arguing that military intervention will not solve the crisis.
“Sending South African soldiers was a mistake. We do not need foreign troops; we need peace. These missions have been in Congo for decades, and what have they achieved? nothing,” he said.
He also expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of international peacekeeping efforts.
“The UN has been in Congo for over 30 years. They were in Rwanda during the genocide, they were in Somalia, Mozambique… everywhere they go, they fail. The soldiers (SANDF troops) who died in Congo, for what? What did they achieve? Nothing. Their families will be given speeches and promises, but once the funeral is over, those families will be forgotten.”
He noted that the humanitarian toll of the conflict is devastating. “Women who are being raped in the east of Congo, children who are being killed. Every child was born to live peacefully,” Tenda said.
Mohamed Issa, expressed frustration that the world has turned a blind eye to the crisis.
“People in South Africa don’t really know what is happening in our country. We see protests for Palestine, for Sudan, but nobody talks about Congo. Millions have died in this war, but the world does not care.”
Alexi Ngomoya, shared his concerns for his family still in the DRC.
“They are not affected yet because the war has not come to our area, but it is still a very difficult time in the entire country. My entire family is there—my father, my siblings, and uncles. I wish there was something I could do to help them.”
Lunga Dweba, from UNISA’s Conflict and Forced Migration Research Institute, emphasised the importance of taking Congolese concerns seriously and examining the issue from a security and geopolitical standpoint.
“I think we should try to be less academic on this issue and rather explore a practical assessment from a security and geopolitical perspective. To start with, none of the concerns raised by the Congolese in South Africa are insignificant.
“The implications of the Congo wars have always affected ordinary civilians more than they have affected those in leadership or even the belligerents themselves. So the concerns, in my view, are legitimate and should be taken as such.”
Dweba pointed out that international interventions in the DRC have not always been purely peacekeeping efforts but have also included peace enforcement, which complicates trust issues with armed groups like M23.
“Regarding UN peacekeeping effectiveness, I think it is important to understand that we’ve had both peacekeeping and peace enforcement missions in the Congo, not just peacekeeping as most of us tend to suggest. Both these interventions have been sanctioned by the UN. While peacekeeping is indeed to ‘keep peace,’ peace enforcement is more offensive, where troop-contributing countries engage in combat and war.”