For decades, the Masisi region in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo stood as a beacon of prosperity, famed for its cattle herding and farming. Its fertile lands made it the breadbasket of the nation, supplying food to Kinshasa and other parts of western DR Congo. This tranquility and agricultural wealth began to erode in the 1990s with the global surge in demand for critical minerals, marking the onset of a new era that reshaped life in the region. Eastern DR Congo, stretching from Katanga through the Kivus to Ituri, sits atop the Kibaran Belt, a geological formation immensely rich in critical minerals. This wealth, as a matter of fact, extends across neighbouring countries like Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda. While this mineral endowment holds great promise, it has also plunged the region into chaos. And this is how Rubaya, once a quiet farming village, became a modern-day Eldorado at the turn of the century. Thousands of artisanal miners now labour daily in Rubaya, though some mechanisation has been introduced. This rapid transformation attracted widespread attention, often linked by the international media to conflict, exploitation, and neighbouring Rwanda. Since the resurgence of the M23 movement, international media have doubled down on sensational claims regarding Rubaya’s coltan mines. Chief among these is the assertion that Rubaya contains 20% of the world’s coltan reserves. However, this claim lacks evidence. No authoritative estimate exists for global coltan reserves, let alone the share attributed to Rubaya. This unverified narrative perpetuates a distorted view of the situation. Another widely circulated claim is that Rwanda exploits Rubaya’s mines. Such allegations crumble under scrutiny. Rubaya’s coltan is known to contain trace amounts of uranium (0.14%) and thorium (0.02%), which create a distinct radioactive signature. Yet, Rwanda’s mineral exports show no signs of coltan with these characteristics. Similarly, no credible evidence ties the M23 to mining activities in Rubaya. Instead, for years, armed groups like the FDLR (a Rwandan genocidal militia) and their Congolese allies, the Nyatura, have exploited these mines. Meanwhile, the legitimate mine owner, a Congolese businessman and senator, Édouard Mwangacucu, was imprisoned under dubious circumstances, reportedly orchestrated by the Tshisekedi family to seize control. Despite the glaring injustices, this case has received scant media attention. The persistence of these false narratives raises critical questions. Why does the media spotlight unfounded allegations against Rwanda and the M23 while ignoring well-documented cases of exploitation by groups like the FDLR, Nyatura, and foreign actors? Why is there no outrage over the untapped mineral wealth across eastern DRC or the rampant illegal exploitation of resources like gold in Walikale and Maniema? Goma’s airport, for example, operates as a hub for illicit trafficking, and even the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, has been implicated in mineral smuggling—notably gold. Such selective reporting may stem from the political expediency of scapegoating Rwanda, diverting attention from deeper systemic issues. This narrative conveniently sidelines the plight of the Congolese Banyarwanda, a marginalized community subjected to decades of discrimination. The M23’s emergence is a direct response to this sustained victimization, which has driven over half a million refugees into exile over the past 30 years. Over the past two decades, the media’s shortcuts have profoundly distorted reality, painting Rwanda as a fraudulent exploiter of Congolese minerals. In truth, Rwanda has developed a model for smarter mineral exploitation, emphasizing value addition and robust legal frameworks. Conversely, the DR Congo’s real exploiters operate with impunity, aided by the complicity of mainstream media and Western powers, which often look the other way. This misrepresentation not only unfairly shifts blame onto Rwanda but also obscures the systemic corruption, weak governance, and armed group involvement that sustain the Congolese resource curse. The discourse around coltan exploitation in the DR Congo demands a fact-based reassessment. The exaggerated claims about Rubaya’s reserves and Rwanda’s involvement distract from the region’s real challenges. By perpetuating these myths, the media hinders constructive solutions and perpetuates the exploitation of the region’s resources by unaccountable actors. It is time for the international community and media to abandon sensationalism and focus on the realities on the ground. Only then can we begin to address the true sources of conflict and exploitation, paving the way for a more equitable and sustainable future for the DRC and the Great Lakes region. The writer is a veteran journalist and political commentator
