Why the Luanda peace process may not pacify a restless DRC

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi. [File, Standard]

The ongoing talks between Rwanda and the DRC in Angola, dubbed the Luanda Peace Process is an important turning point in the efforts to bring peace and security to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Given that the DRC government's animosity toward its neighbors in the East African Community has rendered the Nairobi Peace Process ineffective, it is now necessary for President Tshisekedi's administration to show sincere commitment to the Luanda peace process, led by President João Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola.

A key component of the talks is that the Tshisekedi administration must take immediate action to resolve long-standing issues that have contributed to violence and instability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). These problems include the FDLR's prominent presence, the spread of hate speech targeting Tutsi communities in the Congo, and the persecution of minority groups like the Hema in Ituri Province.

The partnership between the Congolese army (FARDC) and the FDLR, a murderous rebel group with roots in the 1994 Tutsi genocide, is a crucial component of the three-decade conflict and displacement.

Decades of ongoing strife and instability have come from the group's persistent presence in the DRC, which has caused tension not just between DRC and Rwanda, but also within the Congolese populations themselves. The DRC must demonstrate its commitment to cutting off relations with the FDLR, and stopping them from using Congolese territory as a possible base of operations for destabilizing activities against Rwanda.

Hate speech is a problem that needs to be addressed in the DRC, especially when it targets Tutsi communities in the Congo. Hate speech undermines attempts to bring the country together and promote reconciliation by not only inciting chaos but also widening ethnic gaps.

The genocide ideology planted by those who carried out the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, who were embraced by the dictator Mobutu Seseseko’s regime, is the source of hate speech and the horrifying atrocities committed against the Tutsi in Eastern Congo. Thousands of ethnic Tutsi Congolese have fled the atrocities and taken sanctuary in camps spread throughout East Africa.

Cycles of violence and displacement have been linked to ethnic tensions and historical grievances. To safeguard these communities, guarantee their safety, and acknowledge their rights as legitimate citizens of the Congo, the Congolese government needs to demonstrate strong political will.

President Tshisekedi´s administration must endeavor to establish a society in which all Congolese, regardless of ethnic background, can enjoy equal citizenship rights if social progress is to be experienced in the eastern Congo. Dedication to inclusivity and equality must be instituted to ensure that all communities have a stake in the future of the nation. To create a successful and peaceful DRC, the government must enact laws that support social cohesion, economic opportunity, and political representation.

A new route towards regional peace and stability can be forged through the Rwanda-DRC talks in Luanda. This, however, shouldn't be seen as the sole way to put an end to the ongoing hostilities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Tshisekedi and his administration must deal with the underlying causes of the conflict, which include cutting off relations with the FDLR, suppressing hate speech, embracing good governance, and putting an end to the persecution of minority communities. The Democratic Republic of the Congo may only attain enduring peace and national stability by sincere reconciliation and equal rights for all citizens.

-The writer comments on political and security issues