Another major war is looming – and western support for Rwanda is fuelling it | Dino Mahtani
GuardianJAN 28
DR Congo: UN Says Displacement Crisis Worsening, M23 Claims Seizure of Bukavu
Above: An internally displaced Congolese woman gathers the beams and tarpaulins that once formed the shelter she shared with her husband and six children, before leaving the camp in Bulengo on Feb. 12, 2025. Image copyright: Jospin Mwisha/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
There's a new major war in the making in the DRC, and the West is ultimately to blame for it due to its complacency toward its ally, Rwanda. It's unacceptable that evidence of Rwandan support for ethnic Tutsi insurgencies has been played down for so long. Now, time is running short to prevent even worse consequences.
Pro-establishment narrative
It's undeniable that the international community must help find a political solution for this armed conflict before it's too late. That said, it's misguided and overly simplistic to point fingers at the West when deep-rooted regional tensions and the weakness of the Congolese Army are actually to blame.