M23

[Comrade B]

I have been trying to figure out what they stand for, and it is pretty difficult to find a clear answer. Can anyone tell me or direct me to information about the group's policies and practices?

[Red Commissar]

Well, it's less an ideological group, heck we should keep in mind a lot of these groups don't tend to be driven by a concrete ideology as they are by a political feud.

M23 originates from a group, CNDP (National Congress for the Defense of the People), that refused to lay down arms after the CNDP reached an agreement with the government and merged its forces. The conflict must be seen in two ways,

-Conflict minerals. The east of the Congo has many mines which have been occupied by different groups who sell the material for their own benefit, often aided by neighboring nations to the east, specifically Uganda and Rwanda. This means a lot of the profit from these sales never end up staying in the country. On top of the corruption in the government, this contributes to how despite having some of the world's largest mineral deposits, the people of the DR Congo are very poor.

-Hutu-Tutsi conflict spill over: The region where all this is occurring, North Kivu, has a significant population of Tutsi peoples. The CNDP was a predominately Tutsi outfit and on top of their conflict with the government, were also fighting with a Hutu group, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). FDLR was spun out of the Hutu-led government that caused the genocide in Rwanda before fleeing into Congo.

Uganda and Rwanda both were accused of using the CNDP to pursue their own interests in the region, and the DR Congo in turn resorted to using local militias given excessive powers and working with the FDLR. And with M23, Rwanda in particular has been accused of supporting the group though I believe Uganda is also involved.

You can also tie this back further to the Second Congo War which was pretty much a gigantic clusterfuck but with similar battlelines being drawn- the DR Congo fighting against several military groups supported by Rwanda and Uganda, then several other nations and groups taking sides accordingly depending on who they had beef with.

M23 recruits from Tutsi peoples, appealing to their sense of being sidelined in the Congo's political scene. On top of the DR Congo's considerable corruption that makes the government unpopular, it is easy for the group to get recruits among the Tutsi and fight against a largely demoralized garrison force in the east. It should also be known that North Kivu is bordered by Rwanda on the east and it's believed to be through that way they are able to arm and organize their forces.

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

It's important to note that the rebels are taking advantage of popular discontent against the central government to wage this imperialist war.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/26/drc-army-accused-rape-murder-congo

[hetz]

It's important to note that the rebels are taking advantage of popular discontent against the central government to wage this imperialist war.
Elaborate on the bolded part, thanks.

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

No problem comrade!

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/10/2012101755814154.html

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDQQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fuprisingradio.org%2Fhome%2F2012%2 F11%2F27%2Fus-interests-in-rwanda-spur-congo-war%2F&ei=o4C1UOS2Es_W0gHo34HABw&usg=AFQjCNF55xHOdRGsnt7EnYM09kdlkzrqPA

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/17/us-congo-democratic-east-idUSBRE89G1EX20121017