The Geopolitical and Legal Issues of the Intervention of the Wazalendo in The East of the DRC Against the M23 Rebellion Supported By Rwanda

Abstract

The resurgence of the rebellion of the March 23rd movement (The March 23 Movement is made up of former rebels of the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) integrated into the Congolese army following a peace agreement signed on March 23, 2009 between the CNDP and Kinshasa, who mutinied in April 2012, believing that the Congolese government was not respecting the terms of the agreement. On May 6, 2012, the rebellion adopted the name March 23 Movement, in reference to the peace agreement.). This movement receives support from the Rwanda’s government, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since 2022 has led to the emergence of the “Wazalendo” (Patriots) self-defense movement. This article analyzes the geopolitical and legal implications of their intervention. It examines the reasons for their involvement economic, strategic, and geopolitical and assesses their status under international law, debating whether their actions constitute a violation, a form of mandated self-defense, or an expression of security self-determination. The analysis explores the multifaceted impacts of the participation of the wazalendo: geopolitical, diplomatic, political, strategic, security, legal, economic, social and proxy wars. The article concludes that the Wazalendo currently operate as a de facto armed branch of the Congolese State in response to Rwandan aggression. Their existence highlights the challenge to the state’s recognized monopoly on violence and poses significant challenges for post-conflict stability, which will require disarmament and social integration of the Wazalendo into civilian or military life.