In the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in April 2012, a rebel group that had been incorporated into the national army returned to insurrection.

They dubbed themselves M23 after the March 23 peace accords of 2009 which saw the original group, the CNDP (National Congress for the Defense of the People), become a political party with their fighters integrated into the national armed forces.

Citing poor pay and living conditions, plus other grievances, these troops defected, then, over the summer of 2012, fought against government troops, capturing swaths of the already restive North Kivu province.

Eastern Congo is rife with armed groups and therefore insecurity. Around two million people have been displaced as a result of conflict.

As the army fought with rebels in the hills of Rutshuru territory in May, an elderly couple in their eighties, Veronica Nyiramitana and her husband Josephu Jibesho, were the only inhabitants left in the small village of Gisiza. “Everyone ran away,” said Mr. Jibesho, talking of the day when the army began fighting M23 rebels in the area. Gunfire rang out as the frail couple sat outside their small straw hut; the rebels occupied a hill overlooking the village of Gisiza.

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Nobody knows how many people have died as a result of eastern Congo's 14 years of conflict. According to estimates by the International Rescue Committee, there have been 5.4 million “war-related deaths” since 1998, although other studies suggest that it may only be half this number. Even by the lower estimate, this means that 2.7 million people have lost their lives in Congo's cycle of violence.

The United Nations mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO) is the world's largest peacekeeping operation with nearly 20 000 military personnel, and a mandate to protect civilians. Yet, despite repeated promises from UN commanders to halt the advance of M23, the expansion of rebel-controlled territory continued.

In their wake, allegations of rape, looting, forced recruitment and the use of child soldiers have been documented by the UN and human-rights groups. This has now become synonymous with the presence of armed groups in the region, meaning that entire communities live in a perpetual state of fear.

In mid-November, the rebels advanced perilously close to Goma, causing displaced persons to flee yet again. On November 19, army forces were fighting rebels on the outskirts of the city, and by November 20 Goma had fallen. This was the first time in nearly a decade that the government had lost control of this important trade and economic hub.

The rebels occupied the city for twelve days, then M23 bowed to international pressure and withdrew. The year ended with peace talks in neighboring Uganda, which have all but failed. A resumption of hostilities never seems far away

During the occupation of Goma, M23 looted massive quantities of arms, ammunition and vehicles. They are now stronger, their numbers have been bolstered, and they have proven not only their military superiority over the national forces, but also that they have little to fear from the UN.

Meanwhile, thousands of civilians continue to live in camps, their future uncertain. * Phil Moore*

Phil Hatcher-Moore

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