Decolonization In Africa – Case Study: Democratic Republic of the Congo

1. Decolonization In Africa – Case Study: Democratic Republic of the Congo

2. Belgian Congo Dr. Livingstone, I presume? Motivations for Belgian Imperialism Henry Stanley was hired to find Dr. Livingstone (Missionary/Explorer). For this, he became famous. King Leopold II hires Stanley to survey Congo River and trace its course To control land in the Congo, Leopold founded the International Association of the Congo • Stanley signs treaties with over 450 native chiefs in the Congo • Leopold gained rule of these lands ‘given up’ by the chiefs • In 1885, after the Berlin Conference, Leopold was given personal rule over the newly declared Congo Free State • European powers recognized his hold over Congo • Patterns of Takeover • In many cases Europeans managed to secure colonial acquisitions by making alliances with local rulers. • Europeans would promise to sustain the local ruler against his enemies in exchange for a degree of control and supply of labour (the slave trade is built on this model)

3. Stanley’s Expedition

4. King Leopold’s Ghost • 1885 – Berlin Conference • Leopold granted ‘Congo Free State’ • Ivory and rubber were main exports • Slave labour controlled by Leopold’s agents • Elephant depleted to virtual extinction • Pneumatic tires increase demand for rubber • Est. 10 million natives of the Congo die as a result • Families kidnapped to force people to harvest rubber • Belgians were known to cut peoples hands if they did not • 1908 - the Congo was surrendered by Leopold to Belgium • ‘Belgian Congo’ • The worst abuses were eliminated because the Belgians still wanted copper, oil, diamonds and other minerals • People began to demand self rule.

5. Congolese Independence • 1955 • Belgian Professor Antoin van Bilsen publishes a "30-Year Plan" for granting the Congo increased self-government. • The Belgium government agreed to give their political power to the people because they were so confident that they would later regain control. • 1958/59 • Belgium begins to lose control over events in the Congo following serious nationalist riots in Leopoldville (now Kinshasa). • 1960 • In May 1960, a growing nationalist movement, the Mouvement National Congolais (MNC) led by Patrice Lumumba won the parliamentary elections. The party appointed Lumumba as Prime Minister. The parliament elected JosephKasavubuof the Alliance des Bakongo (ABAKO) party as President. • On 5 September 1960, Kasavubu dismissed Lumumba from office. • On 17 January 1961, Katangan forces and Belgian paratroopers – supported by the United States – kidnapped and executed Patrice Lumumba. • 1965 • After the fail rebellion led by Pierre Mulele in 1964, Joseph Mobutu, formerly Chief of staff of Lumumba seized the power with support from the CIA on 25 November 1965.

6. Mobutu • took control of Congo in 1965 • made all political parties illegal because they were causing problems in the country • 1967 - (MPR) Popular Movement of the Revolution. • Africanisation’ - new flag, new national anthem, and now – Zaire • Mobutu also changed the capital name from Leopoldville to Kinshasa. • Bribery, Corruption, Terror, Torture – a Model for Amin (Uganda) and Mugabe (Zimbabwe) • Nationalized foreign owned business and made Western investors leave (Zaire). • 1990 had to unban the rule against political parties and then in 1997 he was over powered and fled the country with his family. • Congo in debt billions of dollars by the 1980’s in large part due to Mobutu’s accumulation of personal wealth

7. The Great African War, 1997-2003 • Major driver of the continued violence is Minerals – Tin, Tantalum, Tungsten, Goldand Diamonds • This cycle of violence has enveloped the DRC since 1997 • It has presented opportunities for various armed groups, both state and non-state, to plunder natural resources by creating and maintaining an environment of exploitation, instability, horror, and appalling inequality. • Militia groups and the state fight for control and access to mines. Armed groups in the area made an estimated total of $185 million in 2008 from the mines. • Congolese Civilians, many of them children, are forced to work the mines at gunpoint and forfeit any of their findings to the armed forces in control • Rape and torture of woman are a common weapon used to enforce labor and cooperation in the mines and surrounding towns.

8. Key Players: • Congolese Tutsi with Governments of Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, relied on the Rwandan Military presence in the DRC (FAC) for protection against Hostile armed groups operating in the Eastern part of the country. These Groups Include: • Interahamwe militia of Ethnic Hutus (mostly from Rwanda who fought the Tutsi dominates Government of Rwanda) • Hutu Members of the Former Rwandan Armed Forces, believed to be responsible for the 1994 Genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda. • The Mai Mai, loose association of traditional Congolese local defense forces which fourth the influx of Rwandan immigrants • The Alliance of Democratic Forces (ADF) made of Ugandan expatriates and supported by the Government of Sudan which fought the Government of Uganda • Several Groups of Hutus from Burundi fighting the Tutsi-dominated Government of Burundi. • The Congolese National Army or the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FDRC) • Shadow Supporters: • French support for • Belgians Joseph Kabila • Chinese • Weapons trafficking thru S. Africa • Mining interests • USA • Support for Rwanda, but mining interests?

10. Current Status • The full name of the former imperialized nation is the Democratic Republic of the Congo • A constitution in 2005 divided the country into 26 almost self-governing provinces • After 4 years of instability between 2 different constitutions; settled into a stable presidential democratic republic and now Kabila is seeking to alter constitution (again) • Population has increased by 6 million since 1997 • The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a developing country with many valuable resources • Economy has declined drastically since mid-1980s • This is as a result of the First and Second Civil Wars that have reduced national output, increased debt, and killed more than 5 million people • Most citizens are farmers • Wars have made women of almost no value and they are not treated as equals • Many children are not able to attend school because of enrollment fees • Many languages and cultures make it difficult for the nation to be united

11. New World Order • End of Cold War did not bring peace to the world - numerous regional conflicts and ethnic rivalries, such as: • Gulf War – Iraqi invasion of Kuwait (1991) Former Yugoslavia (1991-1999) • Somalia (1992) • Rwanda (1994) • Afghanistan (2001-present) • US invasion of Iraq (2003-present)

12. Peacekeeping – In A New World Order • Achieved by deploying unarmed or lightly armed military personnel from a number of countries between the armed forces of the states that were formerly at war • In these circumstances – ceasefire in place and parties involved agreed to allow UN forces to be present • Peacekeepers NOT part of the conflict – they observed the ceasefire

13. Peacekeeping – cont’ With end of Cold war - dramatic shift in role of UN peacekeepers a) More Missions b) Peacekeeping WITHIN states • Often in civil war situations • Without borders - often no clear area of conflict – fighting spread out throughout country’s territory Cyprus – UN buffer Zone in Blue

14. Peacekeeping cont’ c) More Actors • Now other organizations such as NATO have become involved d) Peace “Making” • Peacekeeping no longer simply standing between 2 armies to keep the peace • Increasingly a matter of creating a peace where none exists

15. UN - Africa Missions Adobe Acrobat Required !

16. Somalia - 1992 • A drought-ridden land, Somalia engaged in civil war, with no internationally recognized government, from 1991 until 2005 • thousands died from starvation and war

17. Somalia – cont’ • In 1992, the United States organized an international military force to try to end the chaos - Known as“Operation Restore Hope” • Canada contributed 900 soldiers from its elite Airborne Regiment. The mission was a disaster. • The troops were unable to establish control and found themselves fighting the very people they had been sent to help.

18. Somalia – cont’ • Some desperate Somalis started stealing from the soldiers' supplies. • On March 4, 1993, Canadian soldiers found two Somalis on the grounds of their BeletHuen camp. • They shot at the pair, killing one and wounding the other.

19. Somalia – 1992 • A few days later, a teenager was caught breaking into the camp • Soldiers beat him to death. • One of these Canadian soldiers subsequently attempted suicide • A huge cover-up occurred, stretching all the way to the top ranks of the military

20. “Somalia Affair” • The military scandal that ensued, magnified by a highly politicized and publicized enquiry, that greatly damaged the reputation amongst Canadians of their military • resulted in the disbandment of the military unit involved (Airborne Regiment), as well significant changes to the Canadian Forces Somalia Affair http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1826243555 Somalia ‘Fast Facts’ http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/10/world/africa/somalia-fast-facts/index.html

21. Rwanda – 1994 • Rwanda is one of the smallest countries in Central Africa, with just 7 million people, and is comprised of two main ethnic groups, the Hutu and the Tutsi. • Hutus account for 85-90% of the population • Tutsi minority (10-15%) was made the aristocracy of Rwanda during Belgian colonial rule and dominated Hutu peasants for decades • Following independence from Belgium in 1962, the Hutu majority seized power and reversed the roles, oppressing the Tutsis through systematic discrimination and acts of violence.

22. Rwanda – cont’ • As a result, over 200,000 Tutsis fled to neighboring countries and formed a rebel guerrilla army, the Rwandan Patriotic Front • In October 1993 the first elected Hutu president of Burundi was assassinated, sparking conflict • A 2,500 U.N. peacekeeping force was sent to preserve a cease-fire while Rwandan and Burundi presidents met to work out a peace plan

23. Rwandan Genocide • April, 1994 - Hutus began an unprecedented killing spree, while the international community watched in horror and did nothing. • In July 1994, Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutus, stopping the genocide, which had claimed over 800,000 lives, more than 10% of Rwanda’s population.

24. Rwanda • Canadian General Romeo Dallaire was in charge of the mission • His hands were continuously tied by UN • Genocide may have been stopped if they had allowed him to intervene earlier Dallaire Remembers the Rwandan Genocide http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1742179789

25. Rwanda