Profit from illicit mining, not political power, behind insurgency in Great Lakes

Militiamen

Militiamen, including alleged children, of the armed group URDPC from the Lendu community. PHOTO | AFP

Huge profits from smuggling of minerals is the main reason behind a surge in rebel movements in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

And in what could provide further evidence that natural resources, rather than a search for political power is behind insurgencies, a UN Special Envoy this week said countries connected by trade must be involved in ending the fighting.