SUMMARY

ALiR has been involved in one-sided violence against civilians during its struggle against the Government of Rwanda (see Government of Rwanda - ALiR. These killings of civilians have taken place not only in the western, north-western and central parts of Rwanda, but also in the eastern Kivus regions of the DR Congo (Zaire).

ALiRs motivation for attacking and killing civilians inside Rwanda, which is perpetrated through the means of cross-border raids from the eastern DR. Congo (Zaire), has been the wish to destabilize the Rwandan government. Attacks on civilians and vital infrastructure are viewed by ALiR to be a way to achieve such a destabilization. It was also believed that ALiR at some stages in the conflict with the Government of Rwanda wished to provoke retaliation from the government army into the eastern DR Congo (Zaire). Such retaliation was thought to draw Rwanda back into a regional conflict in the Great Lakes region, in which Rwanda was engulfed up until 2001. Rwanda has been involved in the different conflicts on Congolese soil most of the 1990s and 2000s based on their wish to defeat ALiR.

One-sided violence perpetrated by ALiR has also taken place in DR Congo (Zaire). One prime motivator for violence against civilians in the eastern DR Congo (Zaire) was the wish to secure economic assets in the form of natural resources, mostly areas suitable for mining. Targeting civilians proved to be an effective way of forcing a mass exodus of civilians from areas where such resources can be found. ALiR has also conducted raids against locations where mined resources were stored, mainly gold and coltan, and these attacks have also seen the use of one-sided violence.

ALiR has also used one-sided violence against suspected collaborators in DR. Congo (Zaire). Civilians who ALiR deem to be collaborating with or supporting Rwanda or hostile rebel groups in the DR Congo (Zaire) have often been targeted.

ALiR also attacked civilians in looting sprees. The need to find food, medicine, and other supplies has driven the group to prey on civilians in order to sustain military activities. To retrieve the needed supplies ALiR was known to routinely attack and pillage rural villages, and to ambush roads on which civilians pass, causing the deaths of many. Such attacks occurred also before the support from DR Congo (Zaire) waned, but became more common thereafter.

Favored tactics used by ALiR were cross-border raids, attacks on rural villages and ambushes, using small-arms, machetes and grenades.

ALiR first became active as a one-sided actor in UCDP data in 1996, when the one-sided violence resulted in at least 25 civilian deaths. The threshold was reached in June that year when the group targeted survivors of the Rwandan genocide.