The United States condemned the escalation of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, accusing the “March 23” armed movement of causing the outbreak of violence.
In a statement released on Sunday, which was reported by the American “Al Hurra” channel, the U.S. Department of State called on the “March 23” movement to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from their current positions around Sake and Goma.
The Department also condemned Rwanda’s support for the “March 23” armed group, urging Rwanda to immediately withdraw all of its military personnel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and remove ground-to-air missile systems, stating that this poses a threat to the lives of civilians, United Nations peacekeeping forces, other regional peacekeeping forces, humanitarian workers, and commercial flights in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Furthermore, the American statement called on the Democratic Republic of the Congo to continue supporting confidence-building measures, including ceasing cooperation with the armed group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda.
Rwanda, on its part, denied supporting the rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The March 23 Movement (M23) originated on April 4, 2012, when nearly 300 soldiers, primarily former members of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), defected from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government forces. The defection was driven by grievances over poor conditions in the army and the government’s failure to implement the peace deal signed on March 23, 2009. The group is mainly composed of Tutsis and has been involved in conflicts primarily in North Kivu province, opposing Hutu Power militia and local Mai-Mai community militias. M23 has accused the DRC government of human rights abuses, lack of democracy, and poor governance. The group gained control of Goma in November 2012 but withdrew following a peace deal negotiated in Uganda.
The M23’s complex relationship with Rwanda and its significance in the region’s ethnic tensions are also notable. The group and its predecessors, led by Tutsi officers, have been mobilized in part due to discrimination against North Kivu’s Tutsis because of their Rwandan roots. This has led to a backlash against Rwandans and those of Rwandan descent in the DRC, exacerbating ethnic conflicts. Despite the group’s notorious past and foreign links, many other armed factions also pose significant threats to civilians in the eastern DRC. The region’s security situation remains dire, with martial law in place in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, aimed at curtailing the activities of various armed groups, though this has led to concerns over civil liberties and the effectiveness of military rule in addressing the root causes of conflict.
