A resurgence of regional rivalries imperils eastern Congo

east of Congo can seem depressingly complex. More than 120 armed groups—a few with political aims, most mineral-hungry bandits with -47s—make life miserable for millions in a vast region stretching from South Sudan to Tanzania (see map). Congo’s neighbours, especially Rwanda and Uganda, have a history of fighting on its soil and looting the minerals beneath it. During the second Congo war (1998-2003), anywhere from 800,000 to 5m people died, mostly of war-related hunger or disease. To simplify things, consider that it is almost 1,600km from Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, to Goma, the main city in the east. Nine other African capitals are closer. Maps show roads linking Congo’s east and west, but on the ground they are often not there. The government in Kinshasa struggles to find out what is happening in the east, let alone govern it.