For decades, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been the stage of one of the world’s deadliest and least-reported conflicts. In the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, armed groups, state forces, and foreign interests have left civilians trapped in a cycle of killings, mass displacement, and sexual violence. Congolese activists and international networks now describe the situation as a silent genocide — a tragedy happening in plain sight, yet absent from global headlines.
A Legacy of Unfinished Struggles
The Congo’s history is marked by leaders who gave their lives for freedom and justice.
In 1961, Patrice Lumumba, the country’s first prime minister, was assassinated after calling for true independence and dignity for his people. His words about African sovereignty still resonate, and his violent death remains a symbol of how global interests have shaped Congo’s destiny.
Generations later, Luc Nkulula, a young lawyer and co-founder of the citizens’ movement LUCHA (Lutte pour le changement), mobilised communities for access to water, education, and democratic accountability. He died in a suspicious fire in Goma in 2018, at just 33 years old. For many, he was carrying forward Lumumba’s torch, with non-violence as his weapon.
In 2021, another name joined this tragic roll call: Luca Attanasio, Italy’s ambassador to the DRC. He was killed in an ambush on a UN convoy in North Kivu alongside his bodyguard, Vittorio Iacovacci and World Food Programme driver Mustapha Milambo. His death was a stark reminder that Congo’s conflict spares no one, not even those bringing aid and diplomacy.
Minerals, Militias, and Global Complicity
At the heart of the conflict lies Congo’s extraordinary wealth in minerals such as coltan, cobalt, and gold, resources vital for smartphones, electric cars, and Europe’s green transition. Armed groups fight for control of mines, funding their operations through smuggling and extortion.
Neighbouring Rwanda has been repeatedly accused by UN experts of backing the rebel group M23, despite Kigali’s denials. Meanwhile, the European Union has signed deals with Rwanda for access to critical raw materials, sparking outrage from NGOs and parliamentarians who warn that Europe risks fueling the very violence it condemns.
A fragile peace agreement signed in June 2025 between Rwanda and the DRC has yet to halt the bloodshed. Civilians continue to pay the price: in September, a UN report documented war crimes by M23 rebels, Congolese troops, and allied militias, including summary executions and systematic sexual violence.
Breaking the Silence
Against this backdrop, civil society movements in Congo, Europe, and beyond are rallying under the banner Stop the Silent Genocide. The campaign denounces international indifference and calls for:
- Ending foreign support for armed groups.
- Making supply chains for minerals truly transparent.
- Protecting displaced people and survivors of sexual violence.
- Honouring the memory of Lumumba, Nkulula, Attanasio, and countless victims whose stories must not be erased.
“The suffering in eastern Congo is not inevitable,” activists insist. “It is the result of political choices, in Kinshasa, in Kigali, in Brussels, in Washington. Breaking the silence is the first step toward justice.”
A Call to Humanity
As the world debates the future of energy transitions and global security, the Congo stands as a test case. Can the international community build a future that does not rely on exploitation and bloodshed?
Lumumba once said: “The day will come when history will speak… Africa will write its own history, and it will be one of glory and dignity.” More than sixty years later, his words remain a challenge, and a hope, for a nation still struggling to make its voice heard.
