“This paper aims to take a close look at the political and military situation in the provinces of North and South Kivu following the unrest in Bukavu in late May and early June this year. In this context it will discuss the links between the military
campaign led by the former Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie (RCD) general, Laurent Nkunda, and other civilian and military leaders in the region; the
regional and national dynamics which
fostered General Nkunda’s campaign; and the situation that followed his brief occupation of the town of Bukavu. This paper will also address the impact that these events have had on relationships between key ethnic groups in the region, and the extent to which
these are being politically manipulated by
various state and non-state actors.”
