CRSV: DR Congo (2023-)

Written By The Gender Security Project

This case note documents the occurrence of sexual violence in violent conflict. It contains explicit mentions of different forms of sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.

Background of the Conflict

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has had a long-standing history of colonialism and armed conflict and imperial interventions (Migrants Rights Network 2023), a lot of which continues to inform current events. One of the rebel groups in the DRC, the March 23 Movement or M23, is a major actor in the most recent conflict. It is a rebel military group formed for the most part of ethnic Tutsi, and operates mainly in North Kivu, and was originally created and commanded by Rwanda (French, 2013). The group is named after the date of March 23, 2009, which marked an accord that ended a previous Tutsi-led revolt in eastern Congo.

The M23 accused the government of the DRC of not living up to its promises of integrating Congolese Tutsis into the army and government (Reuters 2022). It claims to be fighting for the implementation of political agreements with the DRC government, which provides for the safe return of Congolese Tutsi refugees in Rwanda (Amnesty International 2023) The M23 has primarily asserted that it is defending Tutsi interests against Hutu militias. Originally, the M23 rebellion of 2012-2013 against the DRC government resulted in massive displacement. This rebellion ended with a ceasefire. In 2017, M23 resumed its insurgency with little impact (International Crisis Group 2022). In 2022, a larger section of the M23 started an offensive, and captured the towns of Bunagana, operating out of discontentment at the slow pace of granting amnesties and economic opportunities in the DRC to its fighters who are stuck in Rwanda and Uganda (Reuters 2022). Rwanda was blamed for supporting the M23, though it denied all accusations (The East African, 2022). Clashes continued into 2023. During this time, the M23 has committed massacres, taken territories, and a range of different acts of sexual violence including rape. The armed violence has also caused mass displacement to the tune of up to 2.3 million people from North Kivu (Nieman 2023). According to the IOM, around 100,000 people were displaced near Goma, of which 60% were women and girls (AfricaNews 2023a).

A significant dimension of global complicity keeps this conflict alive. Western corporations make high profits from mining coltan, cobalt, gold, diamonds, and a range of other minerals in the DRC, and the West has been funding Rwandan and Ugandan militias operating in the DRC (Migrants Rights Network 2023). Armed groups in the DRC and adjoining countries have been known to exploit the minerals tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold to finance conflict in the region (GAO 2023).

Prevalence of Sexual Violence

Human Rights Watch (2023) has indicated that civilians have been targeted with rape and killing by the M23, especially as they try to flee to safety. Several instances of rape and sexual violence were documented across the cities of Kitchanga, Kako, and Mushaki (Human Rights Watch 2023). There have also been instances of rape and sexual violence by other armed groups including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the Mai-Mai, and Nyatura Abazungu, and instances of rape targeting women living in M-23 occupied areas as retaliation. Displaced women have also faced sexual violence in camps (Neiman 2023). Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) reported that it treated 123 rape cases in April 2023 (Neiman 2023). In July, MDF treated 1,500 female victims of sexual violence in July across three displacement camps outside Goma (AfricaNews 2023a). By October 2023, according to MSF, as many as 70 women victims of sexual assault – over 2000 a month – present themselves at the structures they have set up – but also note that this figure is only likely representative of a part of the full picture, as these are numbers only from where MSF has its establishments. (AfricaNews 2023).

Basis of the Use of Sexual Violence

The prevalence of sexual violence points at the deliberate targeting of women and girls by all armed fighters involved in the conflict (AfricaNews 2023a). Rape and sexual violence have been used as systematic tools to punish and humiliate civilians on the suspicion that they are supporters or members of rival armed groups (Amnesty International 2023). In carrying out door-to-door campaigns of rape and killing (Amnesty International 2023), the intention behind its deployment by M23 has been to also intimidate and control civilians (Mednick 2023). Further, displacement places women in camps, where they are vulnerable to opportunistic sexual assault and violence (AfricaNews 2023a). Reports also show that sexual violence has been deliberately used to target women in pursuit of campaigns of ethnic violence (AFP 2023).

References

The Gender Security Project
Previous

CRSV: Sabra and Shatila

Next

CRSV: Nagorno-Karabakh