Land saturation, land grabbing, multifaceted conflicts

In eastern Congo, and more specifically in South Kivu, land plays a central role in the lives of local communities. It represents a source of power, identity, and survival. The land dispossession they suffer—a long-standing and structural phenomenon that has intensified over the last three decades—is the result of the dubious legal claims of various groups. There are five types of land grabbing: commodification for agricultural purposes, the creation of protected areas, the granting of mining concessions, occupation by armed groups, and expropriation following the forced displacement of populations. These dispossessions generate significant insecurity and constitute the main source of local conflicts, which can sometimes escalate into intercommunal violence in rural areas. Rural communities employ a remarkably diverse range of resistance strategies. These rely on collective peasant mobilization, appeals to traditional authorities, legal proceedings, and advocacy with national and international organizations. More discreet forms of resistance—such as land occupation and the creation of “ungovernable spaces”—complete this picture. Civil society plays a vital intermediary role, particularly through participatory mapping and customary land certificates. Women and indigenous peoples, who face double marginalization, are emerging as key actors in these movements.