Congo-Politics

In the 1960's following a series of riots and unrest, the Belgians realised they could not maintain control of Congo. The Belgians announced on January 29, 1960, that they would leave Congo in six months. The Congo was granted its independence on June 30, 1960, adopting the name "Republic of the Congo." Just months after the belgians leave civil unrest erupts. Local tribes held more power then the central government and almost no one was skilled enough to lead a country of Congo's size. Parliamentary elections in 1960 produced the nationalist Patrice Lumumba as prime minister and pro-Western Joseph Kasavuba as president of the renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo. Democracy didnt last long weeks after the elections a military coup broke out in the capital and rampant looting began. On July 11th the richest province of the country, Katanga, seceded under Moise Tshombe. In this same period Congo's second richest province, Kasai province, also announced its independence.(2) These events led to a crisis between President Kasavubu and Prime Minister Lumumba. On September 5, 1960, Kasavubu took power from Lumumba. Lumumba declared Kasavubu's action "unconstitutional" and a crisis between the two leaders began. Lumumba had previously appointed Joseph Mobutu chief of staff of the new Congo army, the ANC Taking advantage of the leadership crisis between Kasavubu and Lumumba, Mobutu gained enough support within the army to take power from the current government. With financial support from the United States and Belgium, Mobutu made payments to his soldiers in order to generate their loyalty. With this help Motubu took power from the government. Relative peace and stability was achieved however, Mobutu's government was accused of civil rights violations, and excessive corruption. In 1984 he was said to have 4 billion U.S. dollars, an amount close to the country's national debt, stashed away in personal Swiss bank accounts.(3) Since 1994, the Congo has been filled with ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a large group of refugees fleeing the the Rwandan Genocide. The government was toppled in May 1997; they changed the country's name back to Democratic Republic of The Congo. thier former allies soon turned against him, however, and his regime was challenged by a Rwandan and Ugandan-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwa, Angola, Nambia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the new regime in Kinshasa.(4) A peace treaty was Worked out but there was still fighting and the eastern part of the country is still unstabbel in 2003 a there was a fragile peace and a government was fromed.(3) This period of conflict has been the bloodiest in history since World War II. Almost four million people have died as a result of the fighting. The United Nations is concerned that 1000 people a day are still dying. On July 30 2006 the ffrist elections were held and a semi stable government has been formed.(4)

Home

President Motubu(2), and child soldiers in the civil war (1)

Works cited: 1. "Stolen Childhood." __Stolenchildhood.Net__. 25 Apr. 2007 ]] 2. "...La Dipanda Cha-Cha." __Skynet.Com__. 25 Apr. 2007 <[[http://users.skynet.be/aloube/images/mobutu%2520colonel.jpg> 3. "Democratic Republic of the Congo." __Wikipedia.Com__. 25 Apr. 2007 . 4. "Congo, Democratic Republic of The." __Cia World Factbook__. CIA. 25 Apr. 2007 .