Editing Tutsi (section)

=== Conflict and Contemporary Issues ===
The eastern DRC has been a hotspot of conflict for decades, involving numerous armed groups. Some of these, notably those evolving from the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) into what became known as the [[March 23 Movement|M23]], have been led by individuals of Tutsi background. However, the portrayal of these groups solely through an ethnic lens oversimplifies the situation. Academic studies agree that the roots of the conflict lie in a mixture of colonial legacies, competition over valuable resources such as [[cobalt]], and deep-seated political and social grievances.<ref>Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges. ''The Congo: From Leopold to Kabila: A People's History''. Zed Books, 2002.</ref> Reports from international organizations have documented serious human rights abuses—including the recruitment of child soldiers and illegal exploitation of mineral wealth—but these are best understood within the broader framework of state fragility and international economic pressures rather than as a straightforward ethnic conflict.<ref>Human Rights Watch. "Breakdown of the State in the Democratic Republic of the Congo." Human Rights Watch Reports, 2010.</ref>