Farmers returning to eastern Congo have faced an unexpected challenge: Congo land disputes with newcomers occupying their fields. The tensions complicate peace efforts in a war-torn region that also holds vital minerals such as cobalt, coltan, copper, and lithium.
Many displaced families fled during M23’s violent advance. However, when they came back, they found their homes and farmland taken. In Kibumba, farmer Abdu Djuma Burunga returned after three years and discovered strangers farming his cauliflower and cabbage. “They took our belongings and occupied our fields,” he said. Moreover, the newcomers spoke Kinyarwanda and appeared close to M23 fighters.
Burunga appealed to M23-appointed officials, yet he waited four months before reclaiming his land. The rebels allowed the newcomers to harvest first, which delayed his return to farming. Eventually, he regained his field in August.
The United Nations has also documented hundreds of similar cases. In fact, a February–March refugee agency survey showed around 200 families in Goma could not return to their farmland. In many cases, others were already working the land. As a result, frustration among returnees has grown.
Occupation by Rwandans remains a deeply sensitive subject. A U.N. report in July accused Rwanda of exercising command over M23 and trying to expand territory. Kigali denies this claim, yet it admits deploying troops in Congo, saying they act in self-defence.
Meanwhile, some Rwandan newcomers openly acknowledge farming Congolese plots. Mukumunana Penina admitted cultivating land she knew belonged to a Congolese farmer. She explained, “I occupied it only to survive. I planted potatoes here.” She also said she acted without any encouragement from M23.
The rebels, however, insist most newcomers are Congolese Tutsis. According to a senior M23 official, they crossed the border fearing Hutu militias. The group created an “arbitration centre” to settle disputes. Sometimes newcomers agreed to leave, while in other cases, returnees and occupiers shared land. Even so, the official admitted that abuses had occurred.
Experts warn that land disputes could reignite violence if ignored. Fred Bauma of Ebuteli stressed, “These conflicts must be addressed as part of the Doha agreements.” Indeed, peace talks in Doha, already delayed, will not succeed unless land issues are resolved.
In June, Rwanda and Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal. Nevertheless, negotiations remain fragile, and investment in eastern Congo will stay limited unless stability is restored. Therefore, resolving Congo land disputes is critical for peace, security, and economic recovery.
