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Agricultural Lendu and Pastoralist Hema fight over scarce land in north-eastern DRC. Tensions continued over the years.

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First Congo War: 24 October 1996 - 16 May 1997.  

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First Congo War: 24 October 1996 - 16 May 1997.  

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Ethnic tensions between Agrarian tribes and Semi-nomadic Tutsi tribes continue. About 2 million refugees continued to migrate from Rwanda following the genocide. Eastern Congolese Banyamulenge wants to force Rwandans out of the Congo and starts the war.

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Laurent-Désiré Kabila Takes Over As President: September 1997.

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Laurent-Désiré Kabila Takes Over As President: September 1997.

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Rwanda and Uganda organize armies willing to support Laurent-Désiré Kabila and invading the Congo. Mobutu Sese Seko was leading a dictatorship government and was in charge for around 32 years. The effort by these two nations was called the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL). In December 1996, the eastern Congo was controlled by the AFDL, and in May 1997, they invaded Kinshasa (Capital City). Mobutu government was relieved from their duties, and Kabila renamed Zaire to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Second Congo War: August 1998 - July 2003.

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Second Congo War: August 1998 - July 2003.

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The Eastern part of Congo was vulnerable. Kabila allows Hutu armies to regroup in this area which offended Rwanda and Uganda. The two nations invaded Congo in 1998. Neighboring countries (Angola, Namibia, and Zimbabwe) halt the chaos created by troops from Rwanda and Uganda for a while.

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Conflicts between the Lendu and Hema tribes start again, and this time it reaches the level of regional conflict. The Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD-K) and Uganda's People's Defense Force (UPDF) invade the Orientale Province. UPDF renames the eastern Orientale Province. It is now called Ituri and was led by a Hema governor. This sparks tensions between the Lendu and Hema. The Lendu believed the Ugandans supported the Hema.

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Lusaka Peace Accord Signed and UN peacekeepers monitor the situation closely: July 1999.

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Lusaka Peace Accord Signed and UN peacekeepers monitor the situation closely: July 1999.

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Seven countries were involved in this agreement to end the Second Congo War using ceasefire, deployment of UN peacekeepers, and release of prisoners of war. UN peacekeepers, known as the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), are sent to the Congo to monitor the situation closely.

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Laurent-Désiré Kabila is Assassinated: January 16, 2001.

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Laurent-Désiré Kabila is Assassinated: January 16, 2001.

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Laurent-Désiré Kabila is killed by his bodyguard inside his office. He received treatment in Harare, Zimbabwe, until January 18, when he was pronounced dead.

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Joseph Kabila become the next President of the Congo: 26 January 2001. 

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Joseph Kabila become the next President of the Congo: 26 January 2001. 

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Laurent-Désiré Kabila's son Joseph Kabila become the next President of the Congo.

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A different leader was leading the country, and his limited experience in politics was a shaky moment for the country. Although he was inexperienced, Joseph Kabila was a great negotiator and was part of deals so that Rwanda and Uganda left the Congo. In the long run, he was able to adjust to his role.

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Violence and peace continued in the Congo and Joseph Kabila taking office was not a turning point in a war that was already reaching its peak. UN was monitoring the situation continuously. Warlords were not feeling the urgency to stop illegal activities within the country.

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The United Nations General Assembly Meets in New York: September 12, 2002

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The United Nations General Assembly Meets in New York: September 12, 2002

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The General Assembly meets a year and one day after the 9/11 attacks. President Bush addresses delegates from nations worldwide and presents the Congo crisis. He challenges the relevancy of the UN, "All the world now faces a test, and the United Nations, a difficult and defining moment. Will the United Nations serve the purpose of its founding, or will it be irrelevant?" (Bush, 2002). At the time UN was already involved in 15 peacekeeping missions; however, 60 nations were engaged in war. The UN was not involved in armed conflict at the time and funded more than USD 6 million to the Congo. The UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) is creating an action plan.

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Warlords Continue Their Mission/Soldiers from Rwanda and Uganda are Present in Ituri: Spring 2003.  

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Warlords Continue Their Mission/Soldiers from Rwanda and Uganda are Present in Ituri: Spring 2003.  

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Warlords continued to recruit youth to join their armies. Rwanda and Ituri are there to protect their own border with the Congo; however, they also want Ituri's wealth.

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The Province of Bunia faces the Bogoro Massacre as local militias kill 200 villagers. UN gathers information that Ugandan troops allowed the massacre to happen. The Security Council wanted Uganda to leave the country.

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Uganda Pulls Out of Bunia/Troops From Uruguay Land in Ituri: May 1, 2003.

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Uganda Pulls Out of Bunia/Troops From Uruguay Land in Ituri: May 1, 2003.

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As Uganda pulled out of Bunia on May 1, 2003, the Security Council faced turmoil with countries being reluctant to join the efforts to save Ituri; Uruguay sent only 750 guard troops to replace the 5,000 Ugandans pulling out of the country. In a matter of days, militias streamed into towns. The Uruguayan troops faced immense difficulty with limiting such violence, and refugees were headed for UN compounds.

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French troops land in Ituri after much reluctance. They bring much-needed stability within Ituri, but the force will leave in 3 months. The country was becoming stable gradually.

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Security Council Funds Ituri Brigade and Chapter 7 Mandate Passed: June - August 2003.

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Security Council Funds Ituri Brigade and Chapter 7 Mandate Passed: June - August 2003.

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The defining moment came at last, "The Security Council finally gives MONUC the money for an Ituri brigade, and a Chapter 7 mandate, allowing the UN brigade to shoot to kill" (Feiertag, 2005).

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Such mandates were created as UN troops could only use limited force against people in the Congo before the mandate, and the need for additional forces to limit the havoc was crucial for bringing peace to the country. The clock was ticking, and the urgency for avoiding another major crisis was mandatory for the UN.

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The UN's future task forces would face fewer struggles, which was shown when the multi-national South Asian task force was sent by the UN, allowing them to establish peace quicker. The funding of the Ituri Brigade gave these taskforces another critical boost.

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France Leaves Ituri/UN Task Force Lands and Uses the Chapter 7 Mandate: September 1, 2003.

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France Leaves Ituri/UN Task Force Lands and Uses the Chapter 7 Mandate: September 1, 2003.

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The French force multinational force was replaced by an international task force consisting of troops from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, and a first-class Bunia Police Force was formed. As a result of the Chapter 7 mandate, the UN task force was having an easier time stopping opponent groups posing considerable threats in the Congo. In a short time, the level of combat started decreasing at a faster pace.

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The UN had to establish a solid multinational force after the French left, and it was much needed to maintain the stability that the French provided in their short stay.

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A Rwandan-scale disaster is avoided as a result of the efforts of the UN in the later stage of the civil war in the Congo. Such efforts were needed, and without them, the Congo would have been in a much worse state. The UN is able to prove President Bush wrong.

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Kofi Annan Addressed the General Assembly: September 23, 2003. 

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Kofi Annan Addressed the General Assembly: September 23, 2003. 

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The Congo was becoming stable and a Rwanda-scale crisis was avoided. UN had success in 2003 as wars in Haiti, Burundi, Liberia, and more were neutralized. Secretary-General Kofi Annan still believed that such an irresponsible response to the Congo crisis was a wake-up call for the UN, "History is a harsh judge. It will not forgive us if we let this moment pass" (Annan, 2003).