Contesting authority: Armed rebellion and military fragmentation in Walikale and Kalehe, North and South Kivu
For more than 20 years, Kalehe and Walikale, two territories connecting the provinces of North and South Kivu, have been characterized by a proliferation of armed groups.
This report analyses the involvement of these armed groups in public life in the territories of Kalehe and Walikale. The current political and military landscape in these territories, defined by the presence of armed groups and the consequent fragmentation of local authority, is mainly caused by unresolved tensions between and within communities over territory, authority and resources; the lack of capacity of the Congo’s state services to provide protection; and the limited success of reintegration efforts. The report explores how these armed groups are embedded in local communities, how they are connected to local power struggles and how they are involved in the exercise of local authority, including in the fields of security, dispute resolution and revenue generation…
This new report has been first published on Rift Valley Institute.
(Photo credit: © MONUSCO/Sylvain Liechti)