Refugees and Conflict in the Great Lakes Region: A Vicious Cycle

It is impossible to understand the dynamic of post-colonial conflict in the Great Lakes region without taking into account the role of forced migration and uncertain citizenship in fuelling this dynamic. Without putting an end to the refugee cycle in the region, lasting stability will remain a remote goal. This article focuses on the role of refugees in and from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (previously Zaire). It looks first at the history of forced migration movements between these countries and the role of refugee groups both as cause and effect of violent conflict. It then draws lines from this history to events in 2002 and the prospects for conflict resolution in the DRC.