Trump claimed he brought peace between Congo and Rwanda, but over 300 people have been killed by militias since then; Read details
A month after the President of the United States, Donald Trump, claimed he played a vital role in brokering peace between Congo and Rwanda, the violence in eastern Congo intensified, leading to hundreds being murdered in militia attacks.
On 20th August, Human Rights Watch reported that Rwandan-backed M23 rebels killed 141 villagers across 14 villages in North Kivu province between 10th and 30th July. Most of the victims of these attacks were ethnic Hutu civilians. They were targeted amid the group’s military campaign against the Hutu extremist Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
According to the United Nations, the death toll is higher. In early August, UN rights investigators announced that at least 319 people have been killed. Rwandan soldiers have allegedly participated in M23’s attacks. However, both the rebels and Rwanda have denied the allegations.
Trump’s repeated claims of success
Despite these massacres, President Donald Trump has repeatedly declared that his administration “settled” the decades-long conflict between the two countries. Speaking to Fox News, he claimed that he ended a war that had cost “8 million people dead with machetes” while insisting on the importance of the peace accord signed in Washington on 27th June to bring the resolution between Congo and Rwanda. All this is being done so that Trump can claim his right to get Nobel Peace Prize.
The ground reality, however, in North Kivu offers little evidence of peace. Clashes between Congolese forces and M23 rebels have not only continued but escalated since then. The Congolese army has accused M23 of “incessant attacks” calling them a violation of the Washington agreement and a follow-up Doha declaration that was signed in late July. On the other hand, M23 has accused Congo’s military of targeting populated areas with heavy artillery and drones.
History of conflict and failed peace
The conflict between Congo and Rwanda has been going on for over three decades. It escalated in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, leading to the displacement of millions of Hutu refugees, including extremists, into Congo. The M23 rebellion, which has roots in earlier Tutsi-led militias, has long been accused of acting as a Rwandan proxy in the region. Notably, the region is rich in critical minerals.
The deal signed in Washington included the withdrawal of Rwandan forces and the dismantling of the FDLR in Congo. However, the attacks that have happened since then suggest that neither side has meaningfully adhered to the agreement.
A fragile process
The foreign ministry of Congo acknowledged on 20th August that the massacres “cast a grave shadow over the sincerity and commitment of stakeholders to the Washington peace agreement and the ongoing Doha talks.”
Furthermore, the parallel talks with M23 initiated in Doha added to the uncertainty. The two sides signed a “declaration of principles” meant to lead towards a ceasefire. However, civilian killings mounted, which has put the Washington peace accord and the Doha process under strain.
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