'All eyes on Congo': After Rafah, decades-long African crisis finds support. Key points

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is grappling with relentless violence and humanitarian crises, drawing renewed global attention through the hashtag "All Eyes on Congo." This phrase, now viral on social media, mirrors similar efforts to spotlight other global conflicts, such as the plight of Rafah in Gaza.

The hashtag "All Eyes on Congo" has surged in use across social media platforms, often accompanied by harrowing images and videos of the ongoing violence.

While this phrase has intermittently surfaced over the years, its current resurgence aims to highlight the severe and protracted conflict that has devastated the DRC, claiming millions of lives and displacing countless individuals.

All eyes on Congo , Palestine , Sudan

Your comments on this ... pic.twitter.com/PvWz9Vm49W

— African Hub (@AfricanHub_) May 24, 2024

An Instagram image featuring Congolese children has been reshared over 8 lakh times. Advocacy groups like Friends of the Congo, based in Washington, DC, then amplified this message, reposting it to garner more attention.

On platforms like X, posts using the phrase have seen tens of thousands of reshares, often shedding light on the brutal conditions faced by the Congolese. Yannick Bolasie, a soccer player for the Congolese national team, recently tweeted, “All eyes on Congo” and “All eyes on Rafah,” emphasising the strength in unity: “Together is always stronger.”

All eyes on Congo
All eyes on Rafah
Keep supporting Rio Grande Do Sul

Together is always stronger

— Yannick Bolasie (@YannickBolasie) May 29, 2024

The conflict in the DRC, spanning decades, has led to one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally. Estimates suggest that over six million people have been killed and an equal number displaced in a country rich in minerals like coltan, essential for manufacturing electronics. More than 100 rebel groups, including the resurgent M23, compete for control, exacerbating the chaos.

The M23, predominantly ethnic Tutsis who defected from the Congolese army in 2012, have resumed attacks after a period of dormancy. Their recent offensives have targeted key areas, such as the strategic mining town of Rubaya, intensifying the conflict. Accusations from both the DRC and the United Nations implicate Rwanda in supporting M23, allegations that Rwanda denies.

The violence has sparked significant protests within the DRC. In February, demonstrators clashed with police, burning American and Belgian flags to protest perceived international negligence and alleged support for Rwanda.

The DRC’s turmoil is deeply rooted in historical tensions, notably the fallout from the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which saw a massive influx of Hutu refugees into Congo.

This precipitated two wars, with the latter, from 1998, resulting in the deaths of 5.4 million Congolese. The political landscape remains volatile, with President Felix Tshisekedi securing a second term amidst a backdrop of recent coup attempts and arrests, including three Americans.

All eyes on Palestine.
All eyes on Sudan.
All eyes on Congo.
All eyes on Yemen.

The human race has been too quiet and too complicit for too long in the atrocities happening across the world. https://t.co/qmBtZzV2oi

—  TAKE ACTION. SAVE PALESTINE. (@FreneticENT) May 28, 2024

Human rights organisations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented atrocities committed by M23, including mass killings and sexual violence.

The parallel with "All Eyes on Rafah" and also Sudan highlights a growing trend of leveraging social media to draw global attention to localised conflicts, violence and wars.

Sudan, another victim of a decades-long crisis, has also been witnessing political unrest since the Darfur Conflict in 2003, followed by a Civil War a decade later. Internet came out in support of Sudan as well.

With millions of views and reshares, these campaigns strive to mobilise global empathy and action.