• UGI USER
  • Mar 15, 2024
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WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF THE FLARE-UP IN EASTERN CONGO?

Why in the news?

Renewed clashes between Congolese army and M23 rebels escalate humanitarian crisis, raising global concerns over regional tensions and violence.

source:themirror

Key Highlights of the Conflict and M23 Rebels and Recent Escalation:

  • Decades-long violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stems from two civil wars.
  • Originated from the Rwandan genocide in 1994, resulting in massive refugee influx into Congo.
  • Tensions between local Congolese and Rwandan emigrants escalated, leading to the First Congo War.
  • The M23 rebel group, formed in 2012, claims to defend Tutsi interests against Hutu militias.
  • Broke away from the Congolese army in 2009, citing the government’s failure to integrate Tutsis.
  • Recent clashes intensified around Sake and Nyanzale, worsening the humanitarian crisis with fatalities, displacements, and food security risks.
About the Hutu and the Tutsi:

●   Ethnic Groups:

●   Rwanda’s major ethnic groups are the Hutu and the Tutsi, comprising over four-fifths and about one-seventh of the population, respectively.

●   A third group, the Twa, makes up less than 1 percent of the population.

●   Language:

●   All three groups speak Kinyarwanda, indicating centuries of coexistence.

●   Settlement:

●   Initially settled by the Twa, followed by the Hutu, possibly between the 5th and 11th centuries, and then by the Tutsi, likely starting in the 14th century.

Key Facts About Democratic Republic of congo(DRC):

●   Geography:

●   The DRC is Africa’s second-largest country and the 11th largest globally.

●   It has 37 kilometres of coastline and over half of its area is covered by dense tropical rainforest.

●   Capital:

●   Kinshasa, situated on the Congo River, serves as the capital of the DRC.

●   Languages:

●   French is the official language, alongside Kituba, Lingala, Swahili, and Tshiluba.

●   Major Species:

●   Home to unique biodiversity, including great apes like bonobos and eastern lowland gorillas found exclusively in Congo.