When a mutinous band of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) military precipitated the latest eruption of war in June, it was hardly surprising given the fragile situation in Africa's second largest and natural resources endowed country. DRC has not known a continuous period of peace and tranquility since the mid-1990s.

The leader of the rebel group, Bosco Ntaganda who is responsible for the current violence, was until recently an army official in the DRC Government. Ntaganda is now wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity – specifically the death of hundreds of civilians and causing a huge refugee problem. Ntaganda's rebel outfit M23 (short for March 23 Movement) is but the latest in continuous militarization of a region that bears the markings of a failed state where the government has little control of security.   

The DRC war is for all intents and purposes an international problem considering the involvement of all the regional countries, namely Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and South Sudan. The country has suffered the misfortune of being the playing ground of armies from neighboring countries as well as rebel groups and other armed militia. In the current war, Rwanda, the small nation to the east of the DRC has been accused of active involvement with the former soldiers who are overrunning the eastern regions. A recent report at the United Nations indicated that the Rwandan Government was sending soldiers and weapons across the border.

The United States has been sucked into the saga with sensational claims that the Obama administration was frustrating the release of the full report that details allegations of how Rwanda is aiding rebels in the DRC. Rwanda President Paul Kagame's denials to the contrary have not been convincing to observers of the security situation given that Rwanda has often reckoned that eastern DRC is a safe haven for Hutu militiamen who are keen to use the uncharted territory to launch attacks in Rwanda. The Rwandan Government is particularly jittery about the ethnic Hutu-Tutsi fault lines with the hindsight of the 1994 genocide.

DRC President Joseph Kabila has repeatedly asked the international community to come to the rescue of his country with very minimal results. Analysts have long settled on the fact that DRC is the playing ground not only of neighboring countries but international companies. Observers of the DRC situation have long reached consensus that the rich mineral resources in DRC are the main reason why countries and global mining companies are intent on a situation of instability. The international community therefore stands accused of turning a blind eye to the interests of the DRC people. This is the position that has been taken by not only the UN but also organizations such as the Human Rights Watch as well as diplomatic sources and other international rights organizations. The allegations include investigations claiming that Rwanda was helping the rebel forces to recruit as many as 300 fighters.    

Rwanda's involvement arises from the fear that Hutu extremists flushed out of Rwanda and into eastern DRC after the 1994 genocide could launch attacks from there. Rwanda's interests in eastern Congo situation are therefore fuelled by the need to stop any instability from the eastern Congo that could spill over into Rwanda.

What further complicates the situation is that Rwanda is eyeing a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council next year. Analysts worry that such a seat would embolden Rwanda to the detriment of DRC.   

Just as Rwanda's interests are to fend off rebels spilling over across the border, other neighboring countries have had a foothold in eastern DRC as a means of avoiding violence at home. Uganda has been engaged in the situation in part to stop the Lord's Resistance Army from using DRC as the launch pad for causing instability in Uganda. South Sudan has been equally concerned about the instability in eastern DRC causing violence in the young nation.  

The DRC war has indeed been termed genocidal and a world war. In the past the governments of Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe fought on DRC soil against rebels allegedly backed by the governments of Uganda and Rwanda.

Given the vastness of the country, the remoteness of the eastern DRC, the involvement of many countries and mining companies, there can be no quick fix for the DRC war. Suggestions have been made to the extent that the UN needs to whip all the countries involved into line if a lasting solution is to be found. The challenge with a UN approach however is that some vested interests could work to frustrate a real shot at peace and tranquility. In the final analysis, it would be up to the regional governments and leaders in eastern and central Africa to put in place a mechanism to engender peace in the DRC.