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In the war-torn city of Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 13-year-old Heshima winces as he shifts on his hospital bed. His left leg is now a bandaged stump, his torso marred by burn scars, and his parents have been killed. A relative, Tantine, attributes their tragedy to the M23 rebels, a group reportedly backed by Rwanda, who have been battling the Congolese army (FARDC) and now control significant territories in this mineral-rich region bordering Rwanda.
“It was a Sunday,” Tantine recounts. “There was fighting between them and the FARDC. They dropped the bomb, and I lost six members of my family.”
The M23, primarily composed of ethnic Tutsis, present themselves as liberators aiming to bring peace to a nation they describe as failed under President Félix Tshisekedi. Since early 2022, with alleged support from up to 4,000 Rwandan troops, the group has seized vast areas, including major cities like Goma and Bukavu. These claims of Rwandan involvement are supported by UN experts, though Rwanda and its President, Paul Kagame, deny such allegations.
The human toll of the M23’s advances is evident at Ndosho Hospital in Goma, where medical staff are overwhelmed by the influx of wounded civilians and soldiers. Dr. Myriam Favier of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) notes that at the peak of the conflict, the hospital admitted between 100 and 150 patients daily. “Our medical supplies were looted at the very beginning of the escalation of the conflict,” she says. “Our medical staff have been sleeping in the operating theatres.”
Despite the turmoil, daily life in Goma shows signs of resilience. Streets buzz with motorbikes, shops have reopened, and vendors display their goods. However, the M23’s presence looms large. While their fighters aren’t visibly patrolling, residents are acutely aware of who holds power. Some locals, desperate for stability, are willing to accept any authority that promises peace. Yet, many remain cautious, with journalists practicing self-censorship and activists expressing fear of potential reprisals.
The M23 leadership promises a brighter future. Willy Manzi, a newly appointed M23 vice governor recently returned from Canada, posted on social media: “Expect peace, security, development, job creation… a future with zero refugees, zero corruption, zero hunger.”
Contrastingly, tens of thousands displaced by recent conflicts, residing in camps around Goma, face uncertainty. The M23 has issued ultimatums for these camps to be dismantled, alleging they harbor rival armed groups. Divine, a 19-year-old mother of two in Bulengo camp, shares her plight: “They came and told us, ‘You have three days to leave.’ We were very scared because we have nowhere to go. Our houses have been destroyed. Hunger is killing us here, but how can we go home to nothing?”
As families pack their meager belongings, the future remains bleak. Alphonsine, preparing for a two-day journey back to her destroyed village, reflects: “I came from suffering, and I leave in suffering.”
The roots of this enduring conflict trace back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which saw approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus killed. In its aftermath, many Hutus, including those implicated in the genocide, fled into the DRC. Rwanda cites the presence of these groups as a security threat, justifying its involvement. Critics, however, argue that Rwanda’s interests lie in the DRC’s vast mineral wealth, essential for global technologies like laptops and mobile phones.
