Final answer:
The DRC's history of colonial manipulation of ethnic divisions laid the groundwork for post-independence ethnic conflict, leading to genocide and ethnic cleansing. External pressure for resource control and the spillover of the Rwandan genocide exacerbated tensions and violence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The complex and compact nature of ethnicity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has roots in its colonial past, where European powers, especially Belgium during the reign of King Leopold II, enforced a system that privileged certain ethnic groups over others. This history of artificial and externally imposed ethnic hierarchies set the stage for post-independence ethnic conflict and has been a factor in recurrent outbreaks of violence, including genocide and ethnic cleansing. Moreover, the scramble for control of the DRC's vast natural resources has often intersected with ethnic tensions, exacerbating the situation.
In the specific case of the genocide against the Tutsis in neighboring Rwanda, which spilled over into the DRC, colonial rulers significantly heightened and institutionalized ethnic divisions that later contributed to mass violence. After Rwanda's independence, the Hutu majority took control and engaged in systematic oppression and periodic massacres of Tutsis, culminating in the 1994 genocide. The aftermath of this event saw a massive exodus of refugees into the DRC, adding to regional instability and setting off a series of conflicts that have further entrenched ethnic divisions and violence in the area.