Killings in DR Congo: History Behind the Headlines
By Darius Spearman (africanelements)
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The headlines from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are once again filled with horrific violence. Human Rights Watch has sounded the alarm, urging the European Union and other global powers to take decisive action against escalating massacres and war crimes (hrw.org). The group is demanding sanctions, support for a United Nations inquiry, and a guarantee that justice for victims is central to any peace deal. For the communities on the ground, largely composed of Black rural villagers, this international debate is a distant echo. They live the daily reality of raids by armed militias and abuses from state security forces, trapped in a crisis that did not begin yesterday (hrw.org).
To understand today’s violence, one must look beyond the immediate reports of conflict. The current catastrophe is the result of centuries of historical grievances, colonial manipulation, and resource exploitation. The roots of the conflict are deep, stretching back to migration patterns, the creation of artificial ethnic divisions by colonial rulers, and the devastating aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide (cfr.org). This history reveals a tragic cycle where local populations have paid the price for regional power struggles and global demand for the minerals beneath their feet.
Colonialism’s Lasting Scars on the DR Congo
The origins of the conflict in eastern DR Congo were sown long before the 20th century. Tensions began to emerge around 1850 with the migration of Banyarwanda cattle herders into the hills of South Kivu (cfr.org). However, it was the arrival of Belgian colonial administrators that turned these tensions into a rigid system of division. The Belgians established different “classes of citizenship,” a policy that formalized and weaponized ethnic identity (cfr.org). This was not a unique tactic; colonial powers across the continent often used “divide and rule” strategies to maintain control.
Specifically in the Great Lakes region, the Belgian administration institutionalized the identities of Hutu and Tutsi. Historically, these labels were often more about social and economic status—Tutsi associated with cattle ownership and a ruling class, Hutu with agriculture—than a fixed ethnicity (forces.gc.ca). But the Belgians issued identity cards that labeled every person, cementing these fluid social groups into rigid ethnic categories (worldwithoutgenocide.org). Furthermore, colonial policies consistently favored the Tutsi minority, giving them access to education and administrative jobs, which created deep resentment among the Hutu majority (worldwithoutgenocide.org). This manufactured hierarchy of power and privilege laid the groundwork for decades of instability and violent conflict.
The Rwandan Genocide and its Regional Fallout
The Rwandan Genocide of 1994 was a direct and horrific consequence of these politicized ethnic divisions. In just 100 days, Hutu extremists systematically murdered an estimated 800,000 to one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus, often using machetes in a campaign of unimaginable brutality (forces.gc.ca). This event became a pivotal moment not just for Rwanda, but for the entire region. Following the genocide, approximately two million Hutu refugees fled into eastern Zaire, the country now known as the DRC (cfr.org).
This massive influx of people completely destabilized the provinces of North and South Kivu. Critically, among the refugees were the Hutu militias and individuals responsible for carrying out the genocide (cfr.org). These groups, known as the *génocidaires*, reorganized inside the Congo. This created a direct security threat to the new Tutsi-led government in Rwanda, which had just ended the genocide. Consequently, Rwanda’s government felt compelled to intervene in its vast neighbor, setting the stage for decades of war and proxy conflicts on Congolese soil (cfr.org).
Displacement Crisis in DR Congo
7+ Million
5+ Million
500,000
The DRC hosts the highest number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Africa ((reliefweb.int), (savethechildren.net)).
Africa’s World War and the Scramble for Resources
Rwanda’s pursuit of Hutu extremists led to the First Congo War (1996-1997), which overthrew the long-time dictator Mobutu Sese Seko (cfr.org). However, peace was short-lived. The alliance between the new Congolese president, Laurent Kabila, and his Rwandan and Ugandan backers quickly fell apart. This collapse triggered the Second Congo War (1998-2003), a conflict so vast and deadly it is often called “Africa’s World War” (cfr.org). This was not mere hyperbole; the war involved nine African nations and over 25 armed groups fighting across the DRC (cfr.org).
The term “Africa’s World War” highlights the staggering human cost. By 2007, an estimated six million people had died, mostly from disease and malnutrition caused by the conflict, making it the deadliest war globally since World War II (cfr.org). It also implicitly critiques the lack of sustained international response, suggesting a conflict of this magnitude elsewhere might have prompted a more robust intervention. Furthermore, the war exposed a primary driver of the violence that continues today: the DRC’s immense natural resource wealth. The eastern provinces are rich in gold, diamonds, and most notably, coltan and cobalt (mongabay.com). All sides, including national armies and rebel militias, funded their operations by seizing and exploiting these mines (cfr.org).
These are not just any minerals. Coltan is essential for making capacitors used in smartphones and laptops, while cobalt is a key component in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles (eiir.eu). The global demand for these materials connects consumers around the world directly to the violence in the DRC. The ongoing struggle for economic justice for Congolese miners is overshadowed by a system where international corporations benefit from minerals extracted through bloodshed (mongabay.com). This system allows these “blood minerals” to be smuggled out, laundered through neighboring countries like Rwanda, and integrated into global supply chains with little transparency (horninstitute.org).
A Fractured Landscape of Armed Groups
The resource wealth and persistent instability have allowed over 100 armed groups to operate in eastern DRC (hrw.org). While it is easy to view them as a monolithic threat, they each have distinct origins and motives. The M23 (March 23 Movement), a predominantly Tutsi rebel group, resurfaced in late 2021 and has since seized significant territory (hrw.org). UN investigators confirm M23 receives extensive support from Rwanda, including troops and strategic backing (hrw.org). Rwanda claims this is necessary to counter threats from Hutu extremist groups like the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), which was formed by perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide (horninstitute.org).
Other major players include the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces), an Islamist militant group with Ugandan origins now linked to ISIS, known for its brutal attacks on civilians (congoresearchgroup.org). In Ituri province, the Lendu ethnic militia CODECO has committed widespread massacres, primarily targeting the Hema community (hrw.org). In addition, countless local self-defense militias, known as Mai-Mai, operate to protect their communities or control resources (congoresearchgroup.org). More recently, an umbrella group of Congolese “patriot” militias called the Wazalendo has emerged to fight alongside the Congolese army against groups like M23 (hrw.org). This complex web of alliances and enmities makes lasting peace incredibly difficult to achieve.
The Global Supply Chain of Conflict Minerals
The opaque system allows consumers to unknowingly benefit from illicit resources, perpetuating the conflict (horninstitute.org).
A Cycle of Violence Fueled by Impunity
A key reason the violence has persisted for so long is “impunity,” which means perpetrators are exempt from punishment for their crimes (politicsweb.co.za). In the DRC, decades of atrocities have gone unpunished, creating a culture where violence is seen as a viable tool for achieving political and economic goals. This lack of accountability erodes any trust in the justice system and denies victims their right to truth and reparations (politicsweb.co.za). The weakness of the national government and the complex sharing of power between central and regional actors further contribute to this problem.
All parties in the current conflict are accused of horrific abuses that may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity. War crimes are violations of the laws of war committed during an armed conflict, such as targeting civilians (wikipedia.org). Crimes against humanity are widespread or systematic attacks against a civilian population, which can occur even in peacetime (wikipedia.org). Reports have documented summary executions, widespread sexual violence, and the forced recruitment of children by groups like M23 and others (hrw.org). For instance, between December 2 and 7, 2025, at least 74 civilians were killed in clashes in South Kivu (aa.com.tr). This unending cycle of violence demonstrates the complete failure of the international community to protect civilians and enforce accountability. The struggles for justice seem almost impossible in this environment.
The Staggering Human Cost of Conflict
6M
Deaths Since 1996
23.4M
Facing Food Insecurity
+30%
Increase in Grave Violations Against Children (Q1 2024)
The DR Congo conflict is one of the deadliest since WWII, with devastating consequences for its civilian population ((cfr.org), (developmentaid.org), (reliefweb.int)).
The Call for Justice and a Path Forward
The recent plea from Human Rights Watch is a desperate call to break this deadly cycle (hrw.org). The organization is demanding that the EU suspend strategic minerals deals with Rwanda until it ends its support for M23 (hrw.org). This would disrupt the economic incentives that fuel the war. In early 2025, the UN Human Rights Council agreed to launch a fact-finding mission to investigate atrocities committed by all sides, a crucial first step toward accountability (jurist.org).
The numbers paint a horrifying picture of the suffering. Over seven million Congolese are internally displaced, the highest number in Africa (reliefweb.int). A staggering 23.4 million people face food insecurity (developmentaid.org). The violence continues to claim lives daily. However, behind these statistics are human beings—farmers, mothers, and children—caught in a conflict driven by forces far beyond their control. Addressing this crisis requires more than just humanitarian aid. It demands a sustained global commitment to tackle the root causes: the legacy of colonialism, the illegal exploitation of resources, and the persistent impunity that allows killers to walk free. True peace will only be possible when justice is no longer an afterthought.
About the Author
Darius Spearman is a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College, where he has been teaching for over 20 years. He is the founder of African Elements, a media platform dedicated to providing educational resources on the history and culture of the African diaspora. Through his work, Spearman aims to empower and educate by bringing historical context to contemporary issues affecting the Black community.
