A Rebel Leader's Life Story Changes Congo Forever.
People are dying in Africa because of fighting between two countries called DR Congo and Rwanda. This fighting started because of a man named Sultani Makenga, who leads a group called M23.
Makenga was born on Christmas Day in 1973 in a pretty town with lots of trees. His parents belonged to a group called Tutsi. When he turned 17, he left school and joined other Tutsi people who wanted more power in Rwanda's government. They fought hard against another group called the Hutu.
Makenga became very good at fighting. He helped take over Rwanda's capital city after terrible violence happened there. Later, he moved into DR Congo with Rwanda's army. They wanted to catch bad people who had run away from Rwanda.
Things became complicated when DR Congo's leader started being mean to the Tutsi people. Makenga felt angry about this. He joined different fighting groups and became their leader. His group took over a big city called Goma, where many people lived.
Many countries say Rwanda helps Makenga's group fight, but Rwanda says this isn't true. The United States believes Makenga did very bad things, like making children become soldiers. Makenga says he didn't do these things.
When the United Nations sent soldiers to help DR Congo, Makenga fled to Uganda. He stayed quiet for eight years. Then, in 2021, he returned with his fighters and started taking over parts of DR Congo again.
Today, Makenga stays hidden and lets other people talk for him. He says he fights because he wants his three children to have better lives. Many regular people suffer because of all this fighting. If DR Congo's army catches him, they want to punish him. But Makenga says he will keep fighting anyway.
People are dying in Africa because of fighting between two countries called DR Congo and Rwanda. This fighting started because of a man named Sultani Makenga, who leads a group called M23.
Makenga was born on Christmas Day in 1973 in a pretty town with lots of trees. His parents belonged to a group called Tutsi. When he turned 17, he left school and joined other Tutsi people who wanted more power in Rwanda's government. They fought hard against another group called the Hutu.
Makenga became very good at fighting. He helped take over Rwanda's capital city after terrible violence happened there. Later, he moved into DR Congo with Rwanda's army. They wanted to catch bad people who had run away from Rwanda.
Things became complicated when DR Congo's leader started being mean to the Tutsi people. Makenga felt angry about this. He joined different fighting groups and became their leader. His group took over a big city called Goma, where many people lived.
Many countries say Rwanda helps Makenga's group fight, but Rwanda says this isn't true. The United States believes Makenga did very bad things, like making children become soldiers. Makenga says he didn't do these things.
When the United Nations sent soldiers to help DR Congo, Makenga fled to Uganda. He stayed quiet for eight years. Then, in 2021, he returned with his fighters and started taking over parts of DR Congo again.
Today, Makenga stays hidden and lets other people talk for him. He says he fights because he wants his three children to have better lives. Many regular people suffer because of all this fighting. If DR Congo's army catches him, they want to punish him. But Makenga says he will keep fighting anyway.
