DRC Conflict: Southern and Eastern African La Via Campesina Calls for International Solidarity, Flags Attacks on Women and Girls
In a statement issued on 25th February 2025, the La Via Campesina Southern and Eastern Africa (LVC SEAf) region is calling for international solidarity for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the recent intensification of the armed conflict and the worsening security situation in the North and South Kivu provinces. This conflict has been brewing since late 2021 when the various armed groups under the umbrella of the M23 took up arms against the government, claiming for sovereignty over this territory.
The M23 has, since beginning of this year, taken over large swathes of territories in the eastern part of the country, including Goma the capital of the North Kivu province, which borders Rwanda. the recent escalation of the armed conflict to control this mineral rich province fits well as a proxy-conflict in the broader context of the restructuring of global power structure.
For yet another time, since January 2025, thousands of people have been killed, hundreds of thousands have been forced to leave their houses and fields, forced to wander along the roads and to join the refugee camps. The two Kivu provinces were already home to over 4 million refugees (internally displaced people). The recent escalation has harshly worsened their situation. Many of the affected people are peasants, and their families were beginning to rebuild their lives following a brief respite in the decades old conflict. Today they are again forced to relocate, and prohibited from accessing their fields, their cattle and their crops, their sources of livelihood.
In this war, women and young girls are regularly violated. Populations are tragically terrorized with impunity as a means of warfare. It is impossible to establish a stable society, and thereby their food sovereignty, in a territory where there is no peace and respect to basic human rights and dignity.
We stand in solidarity with our member organisation, the Confédération Paysanne du Congo (Peasant Confederation of Congo), COPACO-PRP, in DRC and all the communities affected by this conflict.
We call on all the members of La Via Campesina to organise in their countries in solidarity with the people of DRC and demand their governments to take measures to bring about a ceasefire and lasting peace so that the displaced peasant families can return to their homes, and engage in their agricultural activities.
In this war, women and young girls are regularly violated. Populations are tragically terrorized with impunity as a means of warfare. It is impossible to establish a stable society, and thereby their food sovereignty, in a territory where there is no peace and respect to basic human rights and dignity.
La VIA CAMPESINA SOUTHERN AND EASTERN AFRICA (LVC-SEAF)
We call on all governments whose transnational corporations are involved in the resource extraction in the eastern DRC, to take measures to halt the flow of blood money which is fuelling this conflict.
We call on the governments, the African Union and other regional economic and political blocs the Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to denounce the recent escalation in eastern DRC and promote dialogue towards lasting peace.
We call the UN Working group on Peasants’ Rights (UNDROP) to condemn the violation of peasants rights as started in Articles 5, 13, 15, 17, 24 and 27. We are demanding that the UN Working Group immediately establish a special mechanism to intervene the ongoing conflicts in DRC so that peasants and other people working in rural areas of the entire DRC could enjoy their rights as human beings and their right to produce food within their territory.
No to War! Yes to Life and to Food Sovereignty!
Globalize the Struggle, Globalize Hope