The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced a substantial reward of $5m for assistance in apprehending three key figures leading a rebel group that has taken control over significant parts of the eastern region this year. The targeted individuals include Corneille Nangaa, the former head of DR Congo’s electoral commission, who now spearheads the Congo River Alliance, a coalition that encompasses the M23 rebel group. Nangaa has been invoked during large gatherings in cities under the group’s jurisdiction.
In addition to Nangaa, the reward extends to M23 leaders Sultani Makenga and Bertrand Bisimwa. The trio faced prosecution in absentia by a military court last year, resulting in death sentences for treason. Moreover, a reward of $4m is set for the capture of their accomplices.
However, the prospects of these individuals being brought to justice seem uncertain. The military has struggled to contend with the rebel group, backed by Rwanda, which has successfully commandeered vast sections of the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, inclusive of the region’s largest cities, Goma and Bukavu.
In light of this, President Félix Tshisekedi has shifted his strategy toward garnering international pressure for Rwanda to face sanctions for its support of the rebels. A UN report last year claimed that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops are aiding the M23 in DR Congo, leading to thousands of fatalities and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing their homes.
Furthermore, the Congolese government is seeking support from the United States in exchange for access to the country’s mineral resources. DR Congo accuses Rwanda of attempting to control these minerals, which are crucial components in consumer electronics such as mobile phones and computers.
Responding to claims that DR Congo was trading access to these minerals for military assistance against the M23 rebels, presidential spokesperson Tina Salama stated that President Tshisekedi was inviting the US to source these strategic raw materials directly from the Congolese people, who she asserted are the rightful owners, instead of obtaining them from Rwanda where they are allegedly looted and smuggled.
Rwanda denies these allegations of mineral looting. Though it no longer denies its support for the M23 group, Rwanda claims it is acting to prevent the conflict in DR Congo from affecting its own territory. Additionally, Rwanda accuses DR Congo of collaborating with an armed group linked to those responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which over 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis, were killed. The leadership of both the M23 rebel group and Rwanda’s government comprise Tutsis.
In response, the Congolese government denies any association with the FDLR group, which Rwanda accuses of being a “genocidal militia.”
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyzkv7yl43o
