SUMMARY
The non-state conflict between RCD–K–ML on one side and RCD–N and the MLC on the other had its origins in the northern territories of North Kivu, and in the attempts by Uganda to unite the Congolese rebel groups it supported. In 2001, the groups entered a shaky alliance, the FLC (Front de Libération du Congo, Front for the Liberation of Congo), under the leadership of MLC’s Jean-Pierre Bemba, but the alliance soon broke down and was replaced by fighting among the parties.
RCD–K–ML (Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie–Mouvement de Libération, Congolese Rally for Democracy–Liberation Movement) originated from a split in the original RCD in 1999. The new faction, initially called RCD–K (RCD–Kisangani) and led by Wamba dia Wamba, set up base in Kisangani and gained support from Uganda. Due to power struggles with the main RCD, backed by Rwanda, RCD–K later relocated to Bunia in Ituri and became known as RCD–ML. Soon, Wamba dia Wamba’s leadership was challenged by Mbusa Nyamwisi, a Nande with a large militia at his command. Partly in response to this internal struggle, Uganda promoted the unification of Wamba dia Wamba and Nyamwisi’s factions of the RCD–ML, together with Jean-Pierre Bemba’s MLC (Mouvement pour la Libération du Congo, Movement for the Liberation of Congo) which had strong support in Équateur province and the smaller RCD–N (Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie–National, Congolese Rally for Democracy–National), led by Roger Lumbala, which had been set up in 2000 and was based in a district northeast of Kisangani, between the two zones of RCD–ML and RCD–Goma.
The FLC, set up in early 2001, collapsed in June the same year after Nyamwisi (with Ugandan support) established control of RCD–ML, now called RCD–K–ML (RCD–Kisangani–ML) as Wamba dia Wamba continued to claim leadership of the original RCD–ML. Bemba, as leader of the FLC, had attempted to unify forces in the Beni-Butembo-Lubero region in the northern part of North Kivu, where Nyamwisi had his power base. However, he failed to gain the backing of local militias and after arresting officers loyal to Nyamwisi, confrontations broke out. In the following years, clashes took place between RCD–K–ML, on the one side, and MLC and RCD–N, on the other. RCD–K–ML has also allied itself with local Mayi Mayi militias in its attempt to assert its power over the area.
The non-state conflict between RCD–K–ML and RCD–N, MLC is first included in UCDP data in 2001. In January of that year, fierce fighting in Beni in Nord Kivu resulted in 40 battle-related deaths.
