Zachariah Mampilly: Not Beyond Salvation: A Discussion on Congo

🎙️ In this episode, we sit down with Zachariah Mampilly—Marxe Endowed Chair of International Affairs at CUNY and co-founder of the Program on African Social Research—to unpack the deep historical and geopolitical roots of the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.We explore how the 1994 Rwandan genocide and subsequent regional wars laid the foundation for instability in the DRC, the rise and resurgence of the M23 rebel group, and the roles of Rwanda and Uganda in the region. Mampilly also reflects on the failures of international peacekeeping, the power of Congolese civil society movements like LUCHA, and what the future may hold for governance and security in the Great Lakes region.🕒 Chapters included in the video📌 Scroll down for chapter markers to navigate key topics and questions.00:00 – Opening01:29 – Guest Introduction: Dr. Zachariah Mampilly01:54 – How the Rwandan Genocide Set the Stage for DRC Conflict03:39 – The First Congo War and the Rise of M2305:21 – M23’s Origins, Evolution, and Ethnonationalism09:53 – M23: Rwandan Proxy or Independent Actor?13:20 – Comparing M23’s Current Resurgence to 2012–201318:24 – Rethinking UN Peacekeeping in the DRC22:12 – Civil Society Responses: The Rise and Role of LUCHA28:01 – Uganda’s Overlooked Role in the Conflict33:38 – Resource Trafficking and Economic Interests37:08 – What Lies Ahead for the DRC?40:34 – Civil Society’s Role in Regional Peace43:57 – Under-Discussed Issues in the DRC Conflict📢 Subscribe to stay updated on upcoming interviews on politics and memory in global conflict zones.