In the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s South Kivu province, rebels are regaining control of the important city they seized last week. However, not everyone in the neighborhood they were occupying seems relieved to see them leave.
More than a week ago, there was a recent uprising in violence in the DRC’s east. The last true eastern haven for the Congolese army was attacked by fighters from the M23 rebel group, which has been fighting the government for years.
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The rebel fighters have waged bloody hostilities with Congolese soldiers and their allies’ “Wazalendo” militias, which the United Nations and the United States claim are supporting from Rwanda. M23 earlier this year seized other regional capitals from the government’s control.
A regional peace agreement between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame was signed just days after M23 launched its offensive in the United States, and a separate agreement was signed in Qatar to put an end to years of conflict between M23 and the DRC government.
By last Wednesday, M23 had taken control of Uvira and pushed the army out.
We made it there the day after the takeover, joining the first group of international reporters since then.
On the way there, we could see and smell the remains of war: corpses piled up soldiers and some civilians, military vehicle burns, and displaced people walking in groups.
As M23 made its way through territories towards Uvira, many of the people we spoke to were returning from Uvira to the towns and cities they had fled when they were attacked recently.
We witnessed the destruction caused by the most recent fighting as we made our way to the city. Trucks were destroyed all around us, some of which had burned soldiers’ bodies inside, emptied homes, and unexploded bombs in the streets.
When we finally arrived in Uvira, the streets and city were quiet and empty. Residents waited in line in front of their homes to see what was happening, but no cars moved along the streets.
Members of the Red Cross were gathered the bodies along various avenues. Residents told Al Jazeera that many people died in the crossfire and fervor as the army and militias retreated as M23 stormed in, despite it being difficult to determine how many of those people had died.
We haven’t been able to independently verify the death toll from the violence, which the government claims was more than 400.
versus reassurance
In Uvira, there was a sense of fear immediately following M23’s takeover. Some residents expressed concern about the city’s potential as a result of the rebels’ presence.
Businesses suffered when the group seized control of Goma, the capital of neighboring North Kivu province, in January and then seized Bukavu, South Kivu’s capital, in February. Government employees, civil servants, and other professionals without formal employment.
No banks have operated in Goma since M23 took control, for instance, where I have worked as a reporter there for four years.
However, some residents seem relieved in the midst of the fears. Many people said they were relieved that the city had escaped a bloody conflict between M23 and the Congolese army, which had the potential to besiege and bombard Uvira for weeks.
Residents of the city were evicted from their homes on Saturday as M23’s control of the city came into effect. Those who could have worked resumed their jobs, opened shops, and went on with their lives as of Monday.
Many Kinshasa residents are more concerned about the daily struggle of getting by without the threat of violence, despite the fact that the residents we spoke with are aware that political discussions are taking place there. Some people believe the Congolese army and its militias, who started massing in the area this year to serve as a base for M23, have turned their quiet lives around less than by the rebels.
We shared the armed groups’ suffering.
More than ten years ago, M23 was created as a result of a conflict within the national army of the Congo. The group, which consists primarily of Tutsis, claims to fight for the rights of members of its ethnic minority who have been subjected to state marginalization.
A coalition of Congolese forces, the UN, and international troops forced the rebels to surrender in 2012 when M23 captured Goma.
However, the group reappears in late 2021 thanks to the UN’s claim that Kigali denies. Around 4, 000 Rwandan soldiers are responsible for for fortifying the claim. Since then, this stronger, more recent M23 has made significant gains, capturing Goma once more this year, Bukavu and other important regions.
The Congolese army has joined other armed organizations to support M23’s advance in battling the rebels.
However, according to critics, the government lacks effective control over these diverse militias, with many reporting abuses in the areas under their control.
Uvira, an important port city on the northern tip of Lake Tanganyika, directly across from Bujumbura, Burundi’s largest city, became a symbol of resistance after the M23 seized Goma and Bukavu. The gatherings included politicians from Kinshasa, militia leaders, and military leaders.
But for many residents, putting themselves in the shoes of those soldiers and militia groups has meant seven to eight months of uncertainty. Many Uvira residents claimed that the militias had traumatized them and that some of them had allegedly beaten and stolen from locals.
They are relieved that at least the gunshots stopped when the rebels took control of the city, even though they do not necessarily support the M23 rebels.
Eliza Mapendo, one of the many people who blame the army and militias for overruling the area and occasionally harassing the community, said, “We suffered here a lot with the armed groups operating under the government.”
“For the moment, we feel confident and secure; this is how we operate in this industry.” They [the armed militias] have the power to systematically beat you and take your business. However, Mapendo said, “It’s okay here right now.”
We don’t have any issues with anyone, they say.
Both the UN and the US demanded that the rebels leave Uvira shortly after the M23’s capture.
In a “unilateral trust-building measure,” the group eventually began pulling out on Wednesday to give the peace process a chance to succeed.
On Thursday and Friday, a horde of fighters scurried through the city and departed from it with large cars, weapons, and heavy machinery.
Some Uvira residents were content because they believed the change would bring back administrative order.
Others, however, expressed concern for Al Jazeera. Will the militia groups return and take action against us when the rebels leave? some enthousiasm.
The Congolese military resumed firing on some of the M23’s positions close to Uvira on Friday, keeping the situation in South Kivu fragile.
Most people in the city, in contrast, are just happy to see someone take the reins of the violence.
Feza Mariam, a resident, told Al Jazeera, “We don’t know anything about the political process they are talking about.” “Peace is all we need,” he says. Anyone who can calm us down is welcome here. We as citizens don’t care about it for the rest.
Another city resident, Bishi Bishala, experiences similar emotions.
Source: Aljazeera
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