Following a protest against Rwanda, M23 rebels and the Armed Forces of the FARDC attacked French, Belgian and U.S. Embassies in Congo’s Capital, Kinshasa.
“The French Embassy in Kinshasa was attacked this morning by protesters, who caused a fire that has now been brought under control,” the French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced on X.
On Tuesday, January 28, several embassies in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), were attacked by protesters denouncing the conflict in the country’s east, according to diplomatic sources. Rwanda, France, Belgium, and the United States embassies were targeted.
Protests erupted in Kinshasa in response to the entry of M23 rebel troops into Goma, located 1,500 kilometres to the east.
France has been accused of being lenient toward neighbouring Rwanda, the backer of the M23.
Belgium: a historical target
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has a deeper history of colonisation by Belgium than France. Belgium’s colonial regime, which began with King Leopold II, lasted for nearly 100 years in various forms. This included direct governance of the Congo and interference in its domestic affairs.
The country’s first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba, was assassinated in a plot in which Belgium played a leading role. Gaining independence and establishing diplomatic relations was fraught with challenges and grave human rights violations.
On the other hand, Belgium has made efforts to establish a healthier foundation for bilateral relations. In 2000, Belgium formally apologised to Congo, and in 2022, it returned Lumumba’s remains to the country.
While the colony’s legacy continues to influence relations between the two nations, Belgium remains one of the DRC’s largest trading partners. On every occasion, Belgium becomes a target.
Congo Rwanda relations
Tensions between the DRC and Rwanda began to increase in 2022. Rwandan military has entered the DRC territories on several occasions, typically fighting alongside Congolese rebels.
The situation is connected to a continuing offensive that started in March 2022 by the March 23 Movement (M23). The DRC, the United Nations, the United States, and other Western countries accuse Rwanda of not only backing the M23 but also actively fighting for them.
Rwanda and M23, on the other hand, accuse DRC of collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which is an ethnic Hutu paramilitary group that participated in the Rwandan Genocide. Research and studies confirm the charges made by both sides; however, the Congo and Rwanda deny that they helped the FDLR and M23, respectively.
The March 23 Movement mostly operates in the province of North Kivu, which has borders with Uganda and Rwanda.
