The crisis in DR Congo

General Nkunda, the leader of the CNDP. Source: BBC

African leaders have met in Nairobi Saturday to talk about the crisis in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Coming only a few years after the "end" of the deadliest war since WW2, the current fighting and instability in one of Africa's largest country is bad news. And no one seems to have the power to do anything about it, despite heavy diplomatic activity.

In the next few days I will write about the situation in eastern DRC. This crisis, which was foreseen several months ago by knowledgeable observers, can only be understood if takes the time to learn the history of the region. That is why I will not attempt to write a fast-and-easy post on the subject. I will separate the task into 3 chapters. The first one will look at the history from the colonial times to the early 1990s of three countries that have played a key role in the crisis: DRC, Rwanda and Uganda. Understanding their histories is vital if one wants to make sense of the current unfortunate situation. The second chapter will look at the history of those 3 countries from the early 1990s to the end of the Second Congo War and it's aftermath. The third chapter will look at the current situation using the historical perspective gained in the 2 previous chapter and attempt to cast a light on the motives behind the key players. I will also attempt to offer solutions not only to the current conflict but also to the dysfunctional DRC state.


Source: BBC