Background

The conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was the deadliest documented conflict in African history. Over four years in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, three and a half million people lost their lives; more than in any conflict since World War II. All of the surrounding countries became involved in the war. Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia backed the DRC government, while Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi supported anti-government rebels and invaded the north and east of the DRC.

The conflict was mainly based in the district of Ituri in northeastern DRC. The Ituri district is home to two rival tribal groups, the Hema and the Lendu. The conflict arose out of disputes over access to land, mineral resources (the area is home to several gold mines), and political power. The Lendu were the traditional landholders, but were being displaced by members of the Hema tribe. The two tribes began fighting and neighboring countries joined the conflict on one side or the other.

The conflict also stemmed from the earlier genocide in Rwanda and Burundi, as the Rwandan army invaded the DRC allegedly to destroy rebel groups operating from the Congo that had been responsible for killing tens of thousands of Tutsis in Rwanda and Burundi in the early 1990’s. At the height of the conflict, armies from seven different nations were fighting in DRC. An aid agency, the International Rescue Committee, has described the conflict as the most significant tragedy of modern times.

In April 2003, the various factions signed a peace agreement and formed a Government of National Unity, composed of representatives from the DRC government and the rebel groups. At the same time, the UN Security Council created the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Replublic of the Congo (MONUC). MONUC was established to implement the peace agreement and help disarm the warring factions. It has 10,800 peacekeepers operating in the DRC, with almost half of them stationed in the Ituri district. The armies from neighboring countries have largely withdrawn and the peace agreement has generally held, despite periodic outbursts of violence, but tensions are still high in the border areas.

Today

The DRC is making progress towards peace, but there remains the possibility that the war could begin again at any time. There are tensions both within the DRC between the various factions, and between the DRC and its neighbors, Rwanda and Burundi. On several occasions, particular acts of violence have threatened the peace process. The UN’s proposed regional peace conference may offer the best hope for defusing the ethnic conflicts that have spawned wars in Rwanda, Burundi and the DRC in the last decade.

Disarmament

MONUC has just begun disarming combatants in the Ituri province, where there are an estimated 50,000 tribal militiamen under arms. The combatants are split between seven different factions, although the factions are primarily organized along ethnic lines and are either pro-Hema or pro-Lendu. Almost half of MONUC’s peacekeepers are currently stationed in the Ituri region. Despite the large UN presence, some observers predict that the disarmament may not proceed smoothly. Although the militias have all formally agreed to participate in the peace process, they may not willingly disarm. There have been recent tensions between the DRC government and various of the armed groups, and there have also been outbreaks of fighting between the various factions. In addition, the factions have a stranglehold on the mineral resources of the region, including several gold mines, and are reluctant to give up their weapons because it will also mean giving up control of their primary source of money and power. Finally, none of the factions will want to give up their weapons unless they are sure that the other factions will also be disarmed. These factors will probably make the disarmament process a slow, complex one and present serious obstacles to its success.

On July 27, 2004, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1552, which extends the arms embargo contained in Resolution 1493 until July 31, 2005. However, the Expert Group appointed by the Security Council to evaluate the arms embargo has concluded that it has little practical effect because the DRC’s borders are too porous. The DRC does not control its eastern border with Rwanda and Uganda. The problem is compounded because Rwanda and Uganda do not effectively control their sides of the DRC border either. Instead, the border areas are controlled by various feuding factions. As a result, the arms embargo has not halted the flow of weapons into the country.

In a related development, the Security Council extended the mandate of MONUC until October 1, 2004. Secretary General Kofi Annan is expected to report of the Security Council at that time about the future of the peace process and make recommendations about the role of MONUC. The Security Council may then extend or otherwise amend the peacekeeping force’s mandate.

The Regional Peace Process

In addition, the United Nations and the African Union are co-sponsoring an International Conference for peace and security in the Great Lakes region. It will bring together representatives from the DRC, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia to discuss peace, security, democracy, and development. The Great Lakes region of Africa has been plagued by decades of ethnic conflicts, and it is hoped that the conference will find a lasting solution to the violence. The conference will occur in Tanzania in November 2004.

The International Criminal Court

On June 24, 2004 the International Criminal Court (ICC) began its first formal investigation of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. On July 27, 2004, officials from the ICC arrived in DRC to begin discussions with the government, civil society and international organizations. The ICC investigation is to focus on crimes committed after the court officially opened in July 2002.
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Continuing Threats to the Peace Process

Despite the progress made so far, outbreaks of violence threaten to derail the peace process. For example, 160 Congolese refugees were massacred at a refugee camp in Burundi in August 2004. After an initial investigation, the UN reported that the massacre may have been carried out by an armed group from the DRC. The leaders of Rwanda and Burundi immediately responded with threats of a renewed invasion of the DRC. Fighting in the Congolese city of Bukavu in June, which coincided with reports of the widespread rape and murder of civilians, led to a similar escalation in tensions between the DRC government, rebel groups, and neighboring countries. If either Rwanda or Burundi do invade, it is unlikely that MONUC could prevent the conflict from rapidly escalating again.

Last Updated September 8, 2004

Security Council Resolution 1552 (2004) PDF - extended the arms embargo until July 31, 2005

Security Council resolution 1493 (2003) PDF - extended the mandate of MONUC until 30 July 2004, increased the military strength to 10,800 and authorized MONUC to use all necessary means to fulfil its mandate in Ituri and North and South Kivu

Security Council resolution 1489 (2003) PDF - extended the mandate of MONUC until 30 July 2003

UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC)

REPORTS

In Uncharted Waters: Seeking Justice Before the Atrocities Have Stopped - The ICC in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(June 23, 2004)