Publication

Violent hostilities have re-erupted in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern province, North Kivu, despite a January ceasefire agreement. Fighting between an armed opposition Tutsi group led by Laurent Nkunda, the Congolese national army and various militias, has caused an estimated 250,000 people to flee their homes since August 2008 and resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis. The recent lull in hostilities and the initial signs of a willingness to dialogue represent a fleeting window of opportunity which must now be seized.