First, let’s lay some groundwork. Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) is roughly the size of Europe. You read that right, one country that is the size of a continent — pretty amazing. The area in which LRA forces operate is in the far northeast of the country. Within the same region (eastern DR Congo) over 50 rebel groups do many of the same things the LRA does — looting communities, terrorizing civilians, and abducting children.
One of these rebel groups is the Democratic Forces of the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Rwandan rebel group made up of predominantly ethnic Hutus who have ties to the Rwandan genocide. The group fled across the border in 1994 to escape prosecution in Rwanda. Since then, the FDLR has terrorized innocent civilians in eastern DR Congo.
Over the past few weeks, the FDLR have had some massive defections. 200 out of the FDLR’s 1,500 fighters laid down their weapons last month. The group has stated to the Congolese government that it wants to surrender, an offer the world would be happy to oblige. On July 3rd, a group of foreign ministers from across East and south Africa agreed to give the group six months to come out of the bush before resuming military operations against the FDLR.
So, why does a large scale defection of a different rebel group in DR Congo matter to us?
Let’s say it’s a step in the right direction. It frees up valuable resources and attention that can be directed toward the LRA in the north eastern part of the country.
A group on M23 fighters, another rebel group recently disbanded in DR Congo.
MONUSCO is the United Nations’ peacekeeping force for the entire country. It is also the largest peacekeeping force in the world and for good reason (read: DR Congo is really big). They not only collaborate with the US and Ugandan forces in tracking down the LRA, but also protect civilians throughout DR Congo while working to disarm the other 50+ rebel groups functioning in the region. To say they have a hard job to do would be understating it.
MONUSCO has been an active part in tracking down FDLR forces. If the FDLR was no longer a huge threat in the region, valuable resources could be used elsewhere — like to track down LRA forces who operate further north.
Furthermore, the FDLR has been a major source of instability and conflict in the region. With them off the battlefield, countless innocent civilians will be safe and have the opportunity to return to a normal life.
The world will have to wait. It is unclear whether the FDLR will disband completely, and rehabilitation efforts in the region have just begun. In addition, the tense relationship between Rwanda and DR Congo only complicates the situation. And as we’ve learned from the LRA, even if a few hundred forces remain in the bush, they can still do a lot of damage. However, the defection of more than 200 FDLR fighters is a step in the right direction for peace and stability in DR Congo and even an end to the LRA.
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