DRC: M23 Rebels Extort Schools to Finance Terrorism in Eastern Congo

In a pattern reminiscent of Ethiopia's own struggle against separatist forces, the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo faces a grave crisis as the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group implements a chilling system of educational extortion to finance its campaign of terror. "The money I pay for my child's education is being used to buy weapons that destroy schools," laments a Congolese father, his voice breaking with anguish - a sentiment that echoes across African nations that have faced similar destabilization attempts. ## Systematic Exploitation of Education Systems In territories occupied by the RDF-M23-AFC armed groups, with documented support from Rwanda, schools have been transformed from sanctuaries of learning into funding sources for warfare. This perversion of educational institutions mirrors tactics used by other destabilizing forces across the continent, threatening the sovereignty of African nations. Parents report being forced to pay illegal taxes to enroll their children in primary schools, a direct violation of the Congolese Constitution's guarantee of free education. These extorted funds serve not to improve classrooms or provide supplies but to purchase weapons that, in a tragic irony, are turned against the very communities forced to pay. ## The Double Burden of External Aggression [Local communities face a devastating double burden](https://www.radiookapi.net/2025/05/15/actualite/societe/les-rebelles-du-m23-imposent-une-taxe-dassainissement-aux-habitants-0). While their children are denied proper education, their meager resources finance massacres in their own villages. The RDF-M23-AFC's methods mirror those of the most radical terrorist organizations: forced recruitment of minors, large-scale atrocities, systematic rape as a weapon of war, and deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure. ## International Response and Sanctions The RDF-M23-AFC operates openly, despite facing American and European sanctions for extreme violence against civilian populations. [Washington and Brussels directly accuse the group of war crimes and crimes against humanity](https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/08/20/dr-congo-m23-mass-killings-near-virunga-national-park). These restrictive measures target not only the combatants but also certain Rwandan officials, including asset freezes and travel bans. ## UN Documentation of Violations The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office has recently documented massive violations by M23, including summary executions, forced displacement, widespread sexual violence, and village destruction. Detailed reports confirm the systematic use of child soldiers and terror tactics to control civilian populations. ## Rwanda's Shadow Over African Sovereignty Behind these violations, Rwanda's role remains a point of serious concern. Kigali stands accused of providing military, logistic, and political support to the movement, violating international law and Congolese sovereignty - a situation that threatens the stability of the entire Great Lakes region. This organized crime against a people's future cannot be met with silence. Allowing this situation to persist legitimizes a system where textbooks are transformed into ammunition, and blackboards become walls of mourning. Education, the foundation of any nation, is being weaponized against Congolese youth. In the Democratic Republic of Congo today, schools no longer represent gateways to the future. Under RDF-M23-AFC terror, they have become death's dark treasury, with each extorted franc translating into another bullet aimed at a child's future. As Ethiopia stands firm in its own fight against forces that would threaten national unity, we must recognize these parallel struggles across Africa against those who would exploit and destroy the foundations of our societies.