Ms. Amina Iqbal is studying international relations at Kinnaird College for Women University, Lahore.
Hafsa Ammar is a graduate of the National Defence University, Islamabad. Her areas of expertise are narrative building and propaganda warfare, centered around the Soviet Union and modern-day Russia.
Congolese Genocide
The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is rooted back to the 1990s characterized by two civil wars and aggravated by the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Following the genocide, ethnic Hutu extremists sought refuge in the eastern part of the DRC, killing approximately one million Tutsis and non-extremists. The region became a hotbed of the revolt as more than 120 rebel militant organizations are operating in different provinces such as North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika, including the M23 rebel group.
The conflict is fueled by competition for land and natural resources, unlawful executions by security services, and strained relations with neighboring states. The contemporary tensions between the DRC and Rwanda have exacerbated the situation, with both claiming the other to aiding rebel groups associated with ethnic Tutsis and Hutus respectively.
In November 2021, the Tutsi-led M23 rebels intensified their campaign in the eastern DRC, escalating the security situation. The group responsible for numerous attacks and the capture of several towns defied a ceasefire mediated between the DRC and Rwanda in November 2022.
Despite the presence of the East African Force and UN peacekeeping troops to monitor the withdrawal of rebel factions mainly M23, the ceasefire’s goals were not met. Furthermore, M23 has continued its progress in the region since 2023, posing a severe threat to stability.
Major Forces
In addition to the M23 rebel group, other significant rebel groups are involved in the ongoing dispute in the DRC such as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the Congo Cooperative for Development (CODECO). Since the 1990s, the ADF group originating from Uganda has been active in eastern DRC, pledging loyalty to the Islamic State in 2019. CODECO claims to be defending the ethnic Lendu’s interests against the Hemas as well as the Congolese army.
Rwanda accused the DRC of aiding the Tutsi-led M23, while the DRC accused Rwanda of supporting Hutu militias engaged in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Both the states denied the allegations which further added to the region’s tensions. Amidst this intricate web of conflicts, allegations, and rebel actions, the Eat African Community (EAC) intervened in November 2022 sending military from Kenya, South Sudan, Burundi, and Uganda to address the unrest in eastern DRC.
The intervention of EAC has been criticized since large protests erupted in August demanding the withdrawal of both the EAC and UN peacekeeping soldiers as protesters claimed that both the international and regional forces have failed to address the insurgency effectively. Therefore, in response to the mounting pressure, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has called for the EAC’s departure by 8th December.
Cobalt Drives Deaths and Displacement
What does the world want with Congo, you might ask? It’s the precious mines of cobalt. Cobalt is present in heterogenite rock found in massive quantities beneath Congo; almost 3.4 million metric tons of cobalt can be found in Southern Congo. It is a crucial mineral that is a necessary component of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Cobalt keeps batteries from catching on fire as it keeps cells stable.
Cobalt can be a by-product of copper or nickel mining but most of the world’s cobalt comes from industrial mining within Congo; 74% of the world’s cobalt supply came from Congo in 2021. It is mined in two major ways: an industrialized supply chain with excavators and regulated tunneling or artisanal mining. Artisanal mining is a slow death sentence for the people of Congo, one they must inflict on themselves if they want clothes on their backs and food in the bellies of their children.
Artisanal mining refers to freelance miners digging out cobalt themselves, without any sort of protective gear or machinery. Cobalt is toxic and essentially acts as a slow poison. It can lead to the loss of hearing or vision alongside other ailments such as cognitive impairment (confusion and memory loss), cardiomyopathy, and more. People are driven by desperation to these mines, they dig narrow tunnels deep into the earth’s crust, drop/climb down without ropes or hardhats, and approach the walls with nothing but a pickaxe and sheer will.
After they’ve hacked at the walls, another round of men descend into the mines with sacks to carry out the rock, these men are known as carriers. These sacks are then carried to the tents where teams from various companies and corporations weigh them and pay the miners. However, there are complaints from the miners that the Chinese who sit and weigh the cobalt, cheat them of their due money. These artisanal miners live on 2$ or less per day and are responsible for 20% of the cobalt that is exported from Congo.
China particularly plays an aggressive role in the industrial mines of Congo. In the provinces of Luaraba (Kolwezi) and Upper Katanga (Lubumbashi), there are 19 cobalt mines, 15 of which are owned and operated by the Chinese. The Shabara Artisinal Mine is a prime example of the horrors being churned out of Congo day in and day out. It is located near Kolwezi; at a distance of almost 30 miles and is a part of the bigger mining system of Mutanda. It employs around 20 thousand miners who work in shifts of 5000 at a time. It is overwhelmingly crowded and prone to conflict – interpersonal or psychological due to the stress put upon the workers.
The danger posed by both cobalt and its mining has now started to make its way to mainstream media. Cobalt is a harmful mineral that affects all those who breathe it in or touch it – both of which are done by Congolese residents day in and day out. Women who are pregnant or have their children strapped to their backs sit in rivers to wash out the dust from the cobalt. There are reports and scientific studies done that have proved to an alarming degree the direct connection between handling cobalt and women giving birth to stillborn babies. Even men who are in direct contact with cobalt can conceive a child with defects.
However, it is not just a biological or genetic concern that has been plaguing the Congolese. Freelance or Artisinal mining has on its own led to hundreds and thousands of deaths via collapsed and flooded mine shafts. The acidic dust that is produced from mining and excavating cobalt from the ground has been blowing with the wind and settling on farming land and crops, deeming the first infertile to grow much of anything and the latter toxic to all those who consume it.
The rivers are polluted from washing the minerals and sea life is dying out, closing yet another avenue for food consumption. The entire city of Kolwezi is built around the mining industry. Schools, hospitals, public parks, and recreational spaces have become a distant memory, for the city has been decimated by its residents for mining. They have no other choice when it comes to employment. Locals have been hounding their authorities for accountability, but the Congolese government has remained quiet on the front.
Reforms, policies, and developmental programs get pushed to the sidelines to make sure the status quo endures and capital production remains the topmost priority. Humanitarian organizations such as Amnesty International have attempted to shine a light on the issue. Amnesty put out a special report in 2016 that connected major automobile production houses to obtaining cobalt from poverty and crisis-struck Congo and its mines that utilize child labor to fulfill daily quotas.
In the age of social media, the report went a long way and garnered a lot of attention; so much so that brands started to request cobalt supply from regions and organizations not connected to Congo after all no international entity wants to cut its customer base in half by associating even at the lowest level with child labor.
Other Reasons for the Displacement Crisis
Ethnic Intolerance and Insurgency
There are multiple reasons for the displacement crisis in the DRC. One of the most important reasons is the legacy of ethnic intolerance and insurgency which have been triggered by the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide. Almost 2 million Hutu refugees have sought refuge in the DRC mainly in North and South Kivu provinces establishing ethnic militias out of fear of persecution.
Tensions escalated when Rwandan Tutsis arranged militias against the Hutus who had fled to the DRC. This dynamic combined with the formation of militias by different ethnic as well as inter-ethnic groups feeling threatened has resulted in massive violence, sexual atrocities, and significant human rights violations perpetrated by multiple rebel organizations and individuals in the region.
Political Uncertainty and Lack of Inclusive Government
Another important reason for the displacement crisis is aggravated by political uncertainty and a lack of inclusive government. The President of DRC, Felix Tshisekedi, elected in 2019 has been facing numerous challenges in ensuring a stable as well as inclusive political system in the state.
As noted by the electoral commission, the next elections are scheduled for 20th December and they have been jeopardized by ongoing stability in different parts of the country. Moreover, the peripheries of DRC have been ruled by various ethnic tribes recognized by the central government but the issues of this region regarding representation, authority, territory, and resources are frequently disregarded exacerbating tensions and often contributing to the displacement of individuals.
Regional Conflicts
Last but not least are the regional conflicts that have fueled the ongoing crisis in the DRC, with armed groups gaining support as proxies for regional interests from the governments of different states such as Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi. Therefore, this engagement has resulted in a precarious security situation as indicated by the Kivu Security Tractor reporting 1400 deaths and more than 600 attacks in the region in the current year alone.
According to the World Food Programme, the consequent humanitarian crisis has left more than 1.1 million people in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri in need of food assistance.
Displacement of 7 Million People
The DRC is in the midst of a severe humanitarian catastrophe with almost 7 million people internally displaced. This displacement has been regarded as one of the biggest internal displacement and humanitarian crises in the world. The M23 group has breached ceasefires several times causing widespread displacement of individuals. According to the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix, 2.3 million people have been displaced in North Kivu, 1.6 million in Ituri, 1.3 million in South Kivu, and more than 350, 000 in Tanganyika provinces.
The deteriorating security situation, especially in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, has resulted in increased migration, aggravating humanitarian needs and impacting various aspects including malnutrition, food prices, and health care. Despite global efforts such as the recruitment of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) and the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO), the M23 rebel militia continues its onslaught.
Alarming Surge in Atrocities
UNICEF strongly condemns a recent incident in the northeast of Beni, near the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s border with Uganda, which resulted in 29 casualties, eight of which were children aged 4 to 15. Cases of killing, maiming, and child abduction, all of which are listed as “grave violations” by the UN, have increased drastically in 2023.
The DRC is on track to set a third consecutive year of record levels of verified grave violations against children, with a 41% increase in the first half of 2023 compared to the same time in 2022. According to the most recent data, 3,377 grave violations were committed against 2,420 children in 2022, as revealed in the June 2023 report.
International Call for Action
An immediate international appeal to action is required to solve the rising humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Widespread violence, displacement, and a severe shortage of basic amenities have placed millions of Congolese residents in peril. The international community must band together to condemn human rights violations, support diplomatic attempts for conflict settlement, and provide robust humanitarian help to those in need.
Child Labor In Congo
“Work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and/or interferes with their schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school; obliging them to leave school prematurely; or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work” – International Labor Organization
In Congo, any person below eighteen years of age is considered a minor, but when it comes to the technicalities of child labor, the minimum age for a person, before they are involved in the grinding industry, is 16. However, there have been children of a mere 4 years of age working to collect chunks of cobalt-studded rock from the piles outside mines.
Kids (male mostly) aged 7 and above find working in the mines more beneficial to their families than going to school. The crippled economic state and poverty rates of Congo are so high that almost all the members of a family work the entire day at the mines – at different capacities to afford 2-3$ a day. The working conditions are harsh, below standard, and toxic in every sense of the word.
The West is backing Rwandan-funded militias and rebel groups such as M-23 to perpetuate violence in the DRC. Civilians are being murdered and have become homeless within their homeland. A human rights expert working with the DRC, Kambali explained the reasoning behind this blind violence which links cobalt mining to forced internal displacement. He said that killing or brutalizing civilians is a tactic of displacement; when you terrorize a people enough, they will clear out the area making it available for more mines to be tunneled.
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