The Democratic Republic of Congo

Points to consider: How has nearly 70 years of colonialism affected the DRC? How have problems from neighbouring nations have spilled into the DRC?What role did unsuccessful and violent dictatorships have in creating political instability in the DRC?

A miner holding ‘conflict minerals’

Suggestion: Briefly research these terms online

A ‘child soldier’Survivours of ‘sexual violence’

TIMELINE OF EVENTS IN THE DRC

1800s –Belgian Rule

1965 –Belgians overthrown and Mobutu Sese Seko has absolute control over the DRC for the next 30 years

1994 –Rwandan genocide begins and Hutus fleeing the newly formed Tutsi government flee to Congo, and some form a militia group called the FDLR to kill Tutsis in Congo

–Mobutu supports the Hutu and orders Tutsis to leave Congo –Tutsis rebel but Uganda and Rwanda invade Congo to stop them through much violence, and then make Laurent Kabila president –Kabila asks Ugandan and Rwandan armies to leave Congo, but they leave behind their own rebel groups and the FDLR continues attacking Rwanda This consequently weakens the Congolese army.-Local War Lords then form militia groups to fight Kabila’s Congolese army

Mobutut Sese Seko

Since 1998, an estimated 5.4 to 7.8 million Congolese people have lost their lives due to conflict in the DRC

Current Situation

For over 10 years, the people of the Congo suffered as war continued between the

army and the militia groups

In 2000 the UN sent in troops, called MONUC, to help the Congolese

government, now led by Kabila’s son, to take control of the country.

Under MONUC, the situation improved enough for Democratic elections to be

held. Kabila won these elections.

The UN also helped in other ways:• They set up refugee camps, they helped the army fight come of the rebel groups•They started a peace process between some of the warring groups. •Eventually some of the militia groups agreed to become part of the Congolese Army, helping to bring peace

Thought Point:

The DRC is a nation which has an abundance of natural wealth but it has struggled to retain control over these resources. Many Congolese people are too poor to access basic services. Consider the connection between this and the DRC’s many years of political instability.

What can the international community do to improve the situation?

Rebel groups still remain in the DRC and corrupt members of the Congolese army have

been accused of working with, instead of fighting against, the FDLR as allowing the conflict to continue means they can obtain wealth from Congo’s

mines

Congolese government troops, the FDLR rebels and the CDNP are accused of systematic killings and raping through the conflict

Many of the old Warlords and their troops have become officers in the Congolese army, and are now using parts of the army for their own personal power and enrichment

Although the war was officially over in 2003- the east of the country continues to be unstable and the victim of continued violence

However…

THE ROLES OF THE UN

THE ROLES OF THE UN

July 10, 1999, the DR Congo, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe signed the Lusaka Agreement which officially declared an end to the Second Congo War through a ceasefire. The UN then deployed peacekeepers

In November 1999, the United Nations Organization Mission (MONUC) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was created to help bring peace and stability to the DRC

MONUC is responsible for:

negotiating between the fighting groups and to aid the government in the dismantling and disarmament of fighting factions in the country.

MONUC has been key in the United Nation’s efforts to implement ceasefires in the DRC, and with the cooperation of the Government, it was partly responsible for the DRC’s first democratic elections in 40 years

Child Soldiers in the DRC

When rebel groups, such as the FDLR enter villages, they often kidnap children. Over time the young people begin to see themselves as part of the group. They received training in fighting and killing, and learn to hate the groups’ enemies.

In some circumstances the groups entice children to voluntarily join, by promising them food, friendship, and guns.

In addition many girls are also recruited by the militias. Some of these became active fighters, others became slaves to the militia, and often are sexually abused.

It is estimated that there are at least 8,000 Child Soldiers in the Congo at present, many of these in the North Kivu Region in the conflict area between the FDLR

and the Congolese government. The Security General of the UN

recently argued for “more vigorous measures against persistent violators who have been

listed in my annual report for grave violations against children."

Disarmament & Demobilization

Disarmament: Child soldiers must be disarmed before they can return to society

After disarmament, child soldiers need to go through a demobilization process. Many NGOs run demobilization camps around the world. These camps help provide these children with new skills as well as emotional and physical support to make the transition from combatant back to their communities.

Reintegration

After the child is demobilized, he or she must be reintegrated into society. This involves re-establishing contact with his or her family and community as well as ensuring the child receives an education.

Possible solutions

Research Tip:

Use this helpful website to track the progress being made both in the DRC and across the world to tackle the issue of child soldiers:

www.childsoldiersglobalreport.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a66LppV4I-w

In light of the comments made by Maisha in this video, consider the following fact:

Unicef helped reintegrate 4,657 child soldiers into their communities

last year at a cost of $700 per child, but lack of funding means

that a backlog of 3,000 youngsters are denied the specialist help

on offer here.

What should the UN do to help organisations such as UNICEF provide support for other former child soldiers?

Watch this video from UNICEF of an interview with a former Congolese child soldier:

Conflict Minerals in the Congo

Congo’s wealth of minerals and diamonds has played a major factor in fueling the conflicts taking place in the region.

First, warlords and generals are key to control areas of the Congo as they can become wealthy from Congo’s mines, demanding a percentage of any minerals that are found and sold.

The Countries and companies that sign up to the Kimberley process guarantee that their diamonds were not mined in areas of conflict. The Kimberley process requires that all diamonds be certified from their point of origin, as “conflict free.” The Kimberley process has greatly reduced the trade in diamonds by rebel groups in the Congo and neighbouring nations.

Kimberley process:

In the 1990s a group of regulations were put into place to help control the diamond trade. These regulations are called the

“Kimberley process.”

Read this article from The Economist for further information: http://www.economist.com/node/16846816

Did you know…?

There is no similar regulation in place for the sale of mineral ore containing tantalum, tungsten, tin and gold

Tantalum from Congo is used to make electrical capacitors that go into phones, computers and gaming devices

Wealth generated by mines can also be used to buy weapons, making conflicts become longer and more deadly

Questions to Consider: What actions should be taken to ensure that mines are not in the hands of soldiers?

What actions should be taken to stop the sale of blood minerals around the world?

What actions should be taken to make those responsible pay for their crimes? How can the UN help in this?

Research Resources:

www.bbc.co.uk

www.amnestyus.org

www.globalissues.org

Sexual violence In Congo, sexual Violence has become a weapon of war. In some cases when militias take over a town one way in which they terrorise the local population is through rape and sexual assault. In 2007 27,000 sexual assaults were reported in 2006 in South Kivu Province alone, and that may be just a fraction of the total number across the country.

In August 2010, Human rights groups say sexual violence in Congo has been widespread and

systematic over the last 15 years, with more than

a dozen armed groups using rape to terrorise,

punish, and control civilians.

Read the following article:http://www.sciaf.org.uk/news/news_archive/2008_news/more_aid_needed_to_combat_mass_rape_in_the_dr_congo

Questions to Explore:

What actions should be taken to help the victims of sexual violence?

What actions should be taken to halt sexual violence by militia?

Should actions be taken to punish the perpetrators of this violence? Should the UN have a role in this?