Life in the DRC’s “Triangle of Death”

Katanga may be the richest province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but it is has quickly become one of the most troubled. For more than two years, two complex conflicts have been raging in the northern region of the province, known as the “Triangle of Death”: one involving the Mai Mai Bakata Katanga, self-declared secessionist rebels; and another pitting Pygmy villagers against their Bantu neighbors. Together, these conflicts have forced roughly 500,000 people to flee their homes. Today, the humanitarian response remains weak and the threats to civilians are growing. An RI team recently visited the territory of Manono, at the northeastern edge of the Triangle, to document the situation there.