| 1994 | The Rwanda genocide occurred over a span of about 100 days. Rwanda started and ended its genocide, abandoned by the international community. Between 800,000 and 1,000,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered. After the Tutsis reclaimed power in Rwanda, over a million Hutus (many of whom participated in the genocide) escaped to the eastern DRC and lived in refugee camps along the border. The continued tensions between Hutus and Tutsis then spilled over into the DRC, playing a significant role in both Congo wars.
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| 1996-1997 | The First Congo War devastated the region, killing over 200,000 civilians. Set off by the aftermath of the Rwanda genocide- the flooding of Hutu refugees into eastern Congo- and the decision of Mobutu to support Hutus extremists, it ended with the overthrow of President Mobutu. Mobutu helped fuel anti-Mobutu sentiments by supporting Hutu militias, who had participated in the genocide, for political reasons. Uganda, Rwanda, and rebel forces helped to overthrow Mobutu and replace him with Kabila, who had been an opponent of Mobutu for a long time. Kabila’s army consisted mainly of Tutsis, who were fed up with Hutu attempts to exterminate their people. This war helped lay the foundation for the Second DRC war, which claimed 5.4 million lives.
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| 1998 | The Rwandan troops invaded the eastern DRC because they believed the Interahamwe, militia groups who bear responsibility for the 1994 Rwanda genocide, still posed a threat to Rwanda's safety and stability. They also said that Kabila organized ethnic cleansing. This year also marked the beginning of the Second DRC War.
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| 2001 | UN experts found out about the illegal exploitations of diamonds, cobalt, coltan, gold, and other minerals. The UN accused Uganda and Zimbabwe of illegal exploitations. Coltan, or columbite-tantalite, continues to add fuel to the continued conflict in the DRC because of the global demand for products that contain coltan. The mining for coltan occurs in rebel-controlled areas, ruining national parks and depleting wildlife. These rebels are primarily from Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, who are controlling the eastern part of the DRC. Because the market for coltan has increased significantly, the incentives that these countries have to leave the Congo have diminished, destroying any chances for a stable region. It is important to note that in February 2009, Rwanda began withdrawing its troops from the DRC, but the Hutu rebels are still in the eastern region. Many consumer products include coltan, such as cell phones, computer chips, nuclear reactors, and Playstations. The profits from coltan continue to finance the ongoing instability, as they provide income to the military groups responsible for the conflict.
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| 2003 | This year marked the official end to the Second DRC war, though fighting has ended by no means. The Transitional Government of the DRC was put into place to lead the country out of war and establish a constitution instead, based on consensus. This establishment paved the way for the first «democratic» elections in the DRC, which were held on July 30, 2006 when the citizians accepted a new constitution. After so much suffering, this adoption of a new consitution has created hope in a time of crisis, though there is a long and turbulent road ahead.
ReliefWeb provides a humanitarian profile map of the DRC. Click here to check it out!
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| 2009 | In January, Rwanda and the DRC worked on a joint operation to exterminate the Hutu gangs, who form the FDLR, or Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda. The FDLR helped carry out the Rwandan genocide. Since this genocide, Hutu extremists have created anti-Tutsi propaganda, raped women, and killed innocent civilians. This joint operation between the DRC and Rwanda was symbolic because it marked the union between two former enemies, driven by the same goal. While Rwanda seeks justice for the perpetrators of genocide, the Congolese government seeks to have greater autonomy in the east, where the Hutu gangs are primarily located.
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