The Congolese Armed Groups You Aren’t Hearing About     Drawing
on hundreds of interviews and focus group discussions with
affected populations across the Kivus, Oxfam concludes that
“government soldiers, armed rebels, police, and civilian
authorities are all vying for the right to exploit local
communities and extort money or goods from them, pushing people
further into poverty and undermining their efforts to earn a
living.”  Since many areas frequently change hands between state
and militia control, respondents complained of paying bribes and
fees to both sets of armed actors to ensure their protection and
continued access to their fields. The report quotes a woman from
Fizi explaining, “when [government] troops arrive, there is a
complete change in the area. People are taxed for having
collaborated with elements of the armed groups.” However, later
when rebels regain control over a community, “they take revenge
on the local population, saying they spy for the FARDC and pass
them information.”  As alliance