Rwanda shapes conflict in the region by using the Congolese Tutsi to centre its claims of a continued threat of genocide.
Central to the DRC’s politics is a broken relationship between the seat of government in Kinshasa and underrepresented groups in the eastern region.
The causes of violence in the DRC are complex. Narrowing them down to the single lens of ethnicity can be misleading.
A comprehensive strategy does not seem to be an immediate priority for Congolese authorities with an eye on elections.
Insecurity, especially in the DRC’s South Kivu, is considered a serious threat by Burundi’s army.
The Banyamulenge have been viewed as strangers in their own country – the violence targeting them revolves around this misconception.
Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo is used to win a place in government, not to overthrow it. And it keeps working.
Violence in the DRC can be brought to an end if the geographical scope of the conflict is broadened to include all neighbouring countries.
As a dynamic and mechanising form of production, artisanal mining is in more direct competition with large corporations than is commonly perceived.
The mass privatisation of mining and the turn to foreign direct investment has created conflict with small-scale miners.