Coltan Exploration in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 169population growth (3% a year), rapid urbanisation (33%) and a youthful
age structure (40% under 14).
The DRC's population is dispessed very unevenly, with the highest density
in the Kinshasa area and westwards towards the coast in the Mayumbe region;
followed by other peripheral areas such as Bandundu and the Kivu highland
area of the east. Fast-growing population is concentrated in areas with fertile
land, as well as in economic enclaves. Much of the heart of the country, the
north-east and south, are sparsely populated. It is worth noting that, in rebel-
held areas, urban population has drastically increased over the last five years
owing to forced mgration following persistent insecurity in rural areas.
With over 250 identified ethnic groups identified, the Kivus are one of the
regions with the greatest cultural diversity. Since time immemorial, each
ethnic group has had strong links with their surrounding environment: the
environment provided local communities, both rural and urban, with food-
stuffs, building materials and herbal medicine. However, insecurity and civil
strife have interrupted the potential harmony between man and the environ-
ment. In this context, tribal groups affected include Pygmies, Barega. Bashi,
Bahavu, Bahunde, Batembo and Banyanga. For instance, Pygmies are being
engaged in activities outside the traditional farmer-pygmy relationship and
are becoming commercial hunters, spending a greater proportion of their
time hunting forest game and selling ever larger quantities of meat to coltan
miners and traders.
Eastern DRC has also experienced a series of migration trends in the last
eight years that have affected its environment. in 1994, after the Rwanda civil
strife and genocide, millions of civilian and military refugees poured over the
border from Rwanda causing serious damage to the environment. Large areas
were deforested, while poorly planned refugee camps were set up, sometimes
near or within protected forested areas.13
The rebel-held areas of the east are also the scene of involuntary popula-
tion displacements and expropriation of local people's land, especially as a
result of the illegal exploitation of natural resources. At the beginning of ZOO2
the estimated number of displaced people in the rebel-held territories was
approximately 1.6 million, of which one million were located in North and
South Kim provinces.14
This population displacement has led to the emergence of 'internal
refugees' or internally displaced persons who also become a burden on the
host population, while severely impacting on the environment and existing
natural resources. Since 2000 increased conflict between Congolese belliger-
ents (rebel groups, Rwandan government forces and local militias) has
caused changes in the patterns of population displacement, driving people
much further from their areas of origin to other regions.
Claims by refugees, after a number of years, for political participation, cit-
izenship, or land ownership, sometimes in total disrespect for the traditional