COLONIAL RULE INDEPENDENCE AUTHORITARIAN CORRUPT LEADERS CIVIL WAR TO WORLD WAR UNITED NATIONS INTERVENTION & PEACE KEEPING MISSIONS History of Zaire/ Democratic Republic of the Congo

King Leopold II of Belgium Colonial History- 1885

Belgian government exploited resources of Congo

After decades of colonial rule, Belgians became independendence in 1960.

Democracy: Pres. Lumumba elected, but viewed as communist! Patrice Lumumba- 1 st Elected leader of Congo CIA & rebels in Congo deposed Lumumba.

Mobuto Becomes the Prime Minister

Cold War Ally Minerals & Resources U.S. Support of Mobutu Sese Seko

' In the Rubber Coils', a Punch cartoon of 1906, shows King Leopold's stranglehold Mobutu, one of the world’s richest men!! Even before the war, corruption & poverty in the Zaire/ Congo!

Mobutu deposed 1997, Laurent Kabila becomes President; renamed Zaire the DRC

1997 Events mark the beginning of African World War- Rwanda invades the DRC. (1 st Congo War) NEW LEADER CAME TO POWER… INSTABILITY… Rebel groups from Uganda and Rwanda invaded to flush out Hutu Extremist, that had fled to the DRC. Many armed rebel groups in Eastern Congo.

Why did Rwanda invade the DRC? In 1994 the Rwanda genocide began… Hutu extremist killed 800,000 Tutsis in Rwanda. After the genocide ended, close to a million Hutu rebels and civilians fled to eastern Congo. Initially new Rwandan government invaded to go after Hutu extremist.

Kabila & Government Forces & Angola & Zambia Invaders; Uganda, Rwanda & Burundi Laurent Kabila & Rise of Rebel Groups & World War

Genocide Guilt over Rwanda Reform the Security Council! Western powers are hesitant to criticize Rwandan invasion.. U.S./West and other want access to minerals Why didn’t the UN taken Action in Congo in late 1990s?

What do the invaders want? What do corrupt leaders and rebel groups want control of? What does the West want? Over time, the rebel groups become more interested in controlling the conflict mineral, diamonds etc. in the Congo!!! The War Continues!!

Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement in July 1999 Between Congo & Five States

UN Peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts…. But no action against invading countries & corrupt leaders. Congo is home to the largest and most expensive U.N. peacekeeping mission in the world, MONUSCO. Sadly, the UN failures to stop the atrocities in the country…

Largest UN Peacekeeping mission !! Although significant progress has been achieved in the DRC since UN intervention, The eastern part continued to be plagued by recurrent waves of conflict, chronic humanitarian crises and serious human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence.

His son Joseph becomes the next leader…

UN- New Intervention Brigade, 2013 the Security Council passed resolution 2098 authorizing the momentous Force Intervention Brigade (FIB). The first of its kind, the force received an unprecedented offensive mandate and was unambiguously tasked with neutralizing armed groups.

United Nations Security Resolution 2098 It is the first of its kind given an “offensive” mandate. Calls on the brigade to carry out “targeted and robust offensives” with the intention of “disarming armed groups,” namely the M23 rebels

Congo, Africa’s World War Why is it a World War?

Forgotten Crisis Conflict and humanitarian crisis have taken the lives of 5.4 million people since 1998 As many as 45,000 dead every month, according to a major International Rescue Committee study.

History of DRC led to poverty… While Congo has abundant natural resources, it is also the world’s poorest country per capita, according to the United Nations.

China’s recently has invested in the DRC

Beginning of World War; outside invasion, internal instability. Video is a good review!

Video Clip; explanation of minerals in our technologyVideo Clip; explanation of minerals in our technology..