DR Congo citizens on Monday, February 17, took to the streets in a wave of fresh protests demanding the immediate withdrawal of foreign military forces, including MONUSCO, the Burundi National Defence Forces (FNDB), and the SAMIDRC troops. The demonstrators, who flocked the streets of Goma – the provincial capital of North Kivu – say that the continued presence of these troops is exacerbating insecurity rather than curbing the vice and protecting innocent civilians. Hundreds of protestors were seen on the streets of Goma – recently captured by the M23 – chanting slogans and holding banners inscribed in French and Swahili that called for the departure of foreign forces. ALSO READ: M23 rebels capture Bukavu in latest advance Some messages read: “Tatizo letu litatatuliwa na sisi Wacongomani wenyewe” – which lossely translates to “Our problem will be solved by us Congolese ourselves.” Protestors argue that instead of ensuring stability, the military deployments have fueled and triggered abuse, looting, displacement, and persecution. ALSO READ: Bukavu business community urges M23 to quickly secure city, halt criminal activity Protesters pointed out that the Congolese army and its coalition have found bases within MONUSCO camps, which they say has made surrounding neighborhoods unsafe. ALSO READ: International community has failed DR Congo – Kagame aide “The FARDC soldiers in MONUSCO camps are a serious threat to civilian safety. We are asking them to leave these camps immediately so that the people can have security,” one banner read. ‘MONUSCO has failed’ Protestors indicated through their banners that MONUSCO, originally deployed to maintain peace, has failed in its mission and instead become part of the problem. “We also ask that the SAMIDRC forces, along with the Burundian army (FNDB) and MONUSCO, all go back to their countries,” another protest sign read. Beyond the demand for troop withdrawals, many protestors voiced their frustration with President Félix Tshisekedi, accusing him of failing to bring peace to the country. The demonstrators insist that his leadership has been ineffective in addressing the ongoing conflict and that external forces have only worsened the crisis. MONUSCO and regional military coalitions were initially deployed to combat armed insurgencies, however, many Congolese now see them as contributing to prolonged instability. This is not the first time DR Congo citizens have held protests reflecting deep-seated resentment toward external interventions that have failed to pacify the eastern part of DR Congo. The war between a Congolese army coalition comprising FDLR, a DR Congo-based terrorist militia founded by remnants of the masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, as well as more than 10,000 Burundian troops, 1,600 European mercenaries, and South Africa-led SADC forces, against M23 rebels, started in 2021. M23 is now part of a larger rebel coalition, Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), created in December 2023.
