DRC: M23 Rebels Extort School Fees to Finance Terrorism
In eastern DR Congo, M23 rebels have implemented a sinister system of extorting school fees to finance their terrorist activities. This practice not only violates the constitutional right to free education but transforms schools into unwitting supporters of violence against the very children they should protect.
M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo enforce illegal taxation on schools
'The money I pay for my child's education is being used to buy weapons that destroy schools,' laments a father, his voice breaking with grief.
In the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a chilling system has taken root in territories occupied by the RDF-M23-AFC armed groups, which receive support from Rwanda. In these areas where terror and impunity reign supreme, schools - once the last refuge of innocence - have been diverted from their primary mission of education. They have become a source of war funding.
Systematic Extortion of Education
Numerous parents report illegal taxes imposed by RDF-M23-AFC for enrolling their children in primary school. This practice openly violates the Congolese Constitution, which guarantees free education. The collected fees benefit neither classrooms nor school supplies. Instead, they fund the purchase of weapons which, in a tragic irony, are turned against the very children whose families have been forced to pay.
Double Burden on Local Communities
Local communities bear a twofold burden. They watch their children being deprived of proper education while their meager resources finance massacres in their own villages. The methods employed by RDF-M23-AFC mirror those of the most radical terrorist organizations: forced recruitment of minors, large-scale atrocities, systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure.
International Sanctions and Oversight
The RDF-M23-AFC movement operates openly, despite being under American and European sanctions for extreme violence against civilian populations. Washington and Brussels directly accuse the armed group of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. These restrictive measures target not only the combatants themselves but also certain Rwandan officials.
United Nations Documentation of Violations
The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office has recently reported massive violations committed 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 the civilian population.
Rwanda's Role in the Crisis
Behind these violations, Rwanda's role remains under scrutiny. Kigali stands accused of providing military, logistical, and political support to the movement, violating international law and Congolese sovereignty. Multiple human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have gathered compelling evidence of this involvement.
This organized crime against a people's future cannot be met with silence. The situation represents a fundamental assault on traditional social order and sovereign authority. By extorting families, these militias and their Rwandan sponsors are not merely financing warfare - they are systematically destroying the foundation of Congolese society and its future generations.
Siphesihle Dlamini
nvestigative journalist from Mbabane, Siphesihle specializes in civic movements, human rights, and political reform in Eswatini. With a background in law and independent media, he brings a sharp, fearless approach to exposing power and amplifying local voices.