Presented by Nadine Ngango February 4, 2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv8llEj0CXw

Democratic Republic Of The Congo Ex- Zaire: AFRICA

Geographic and Demographic Second largest country in Africa after Algeria.

Capital: Kinshasa

Area: 2.345.409 km²

Population: ~ 60 Million

Official language: French

National lauguages:

Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili,

and Thsiluba

. 300+languges and ethnics

. Bantus

Description Democratic Republic of Congo , independent since

1960, was known as Zaire from 1965 to 1997

The north is one of the largest areas of rainforest in the world, the east is the area of mountains, hills, lakes but also volcanoes .

The south and center , rich savannahs , form a plateau in various minerals . The general climate is hot and humid but this varies by province.

The existence of such a climate produces a dense vegetation and regulates agricultural activities of the Congolese population.

The country has an extensive network of rivers with the center along River Congo 4,700 km.

Unique Wildlife

Description, cont,… DRC shares borders

with nine countries:

North: Central African Republic and Sudan

South: Zambia and Angola

East: Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania

West: The Republic of the Congo and Cabinda (Angola)

DR Congo currently has 11 provinces including Kinshasa, the capital, considered the city province.

The population density is 27 inhabitants / km ², population growth is 3% and a life expectancy at birth of 52 years (54 years for men and 50 years for women).

The currency is the Congolese Franc

The DRC Urban Areas

Congolese ladies

Rural Areas

Cultural Tradition

Politic: War in Zaire

Precipitating Causes Lie in 1994 Rwandan Conflict.

Refugees and Hutu Extremists in Zaire.

Rwanda and Uganda join Forces with Zairian Tutsis to Overthrow Mobutu

Conflict Background The Conflict are rooted in

the 32 years of Mobutu rule and instability since DRC’s independence from Belgium.

1970s and 1980s, the Congo (then Zaire) splintered into various city states, collapsing communication systems and crippling the formal justice system

1996 – Rwanda’s post-genocide Tutsi government invaded the DRC in pursuit of Hutu militia who had fled there. Rwandan backed Congolese rebels expel Mobutu from office and install Laurent Kabila

1997 – Rebellion between Kabila and Rwanda begins. The country becomes a battleground. The rebellion ends in 2003

Cont, Rebel groups continue to remain active in the four eastern provinces: South Kivu, North Kivu, Ituri, and Maniema. 2006 – First free elections in the country. Joseph Kabila becomes president but fails to deliver international expectations of peace.

1960’s U.N peacekeepers

Anti-Communist Mobutu takes over after rebellion

Mobutu (head of army) created a harsh, corrupt dictatorship and re-named country “Zaire”

1965, Mobutu took power

First Congo war: Nov 1996 to May 1997

In Rwanda, the Tutsis had gained power

Hutus fled to DRC refugee camps

Mobutu’s army helped these refugee Hutus to attack both Rwanda and Congolese

Tutsis in Zaire

Hutu refugees in Zaire

Tutsi militia (Rwandan) and Ugandans, were helped by DRC politicians (Kabila) opposing Mobutu’s dictatorship.

Mobutu was overthrown and Laurent-Désiré Kabila is proclaimed president in Kinshasa.

Second Congo War/Coltan War

President Kabila, now fearing a possible plan of former Rwandan Tutsi allies to give DRC control to Rwanda, thanked and dismissed them.

Rwandan Tutsi troops attack DRC

Ugandan troops attack DRC to maintain their influence in the region.

Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia helped Kabila and the DRC.

Kabila turned to former Hutu enemies to balance the power of Tutsis

Rwandans claimed influence, power plants and diamond mines in the East

Kabila’s diplomatic approach worked. Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Chad, Lybia and Sudan as well as U.S., Canada, Australia and Japan supported him.

Conflict Background The Conflict are rooted in the 32 years of Mobutu rule and instability since DRC’s

independence from Belgium.

1970s and 1980s, the Congo (then Zaire) splintered into various city states, collapsing communication systems and crippling the formal justice system

1996 – Rwanda’s post-genocide Tutsi government invaded the DRC in pursuit of Hutu militia who had fled there. Rwandan backed Congolese rebels expel Mobutu from office and install Laurent Kabila

1997 – Rebellion between Kabila and Rwanda begins. The country becomes a battleground. The rebellion ends in 2003

Rebel groups continue to remain active in the four eastern provinces: South Kivu, North Kivu, Ituri, and Maniema.

2006 – First free elections in the country. Joseph Kabila becomes president but fails to deliver international expectations of peace.

The UN supported a ceasefire agreement between DRC, Ang., Namib., and Zimb. with Rwanda and Uganda. Ethnic Tutsis in the DRC did not sign

Now there was war between the Ugandan and Rwandan govt. troops in the DRC.

Rwandan government troops attacked Kabila, as well.

Joseph Kabila Laurent’s son, Joseph, is confirmed as

President in January 2001, after his dad being assassinated.

Made peace with Rwanda (US)

Sun City agreements for a democratic system

Pretoria accord for Rwandan withdrawal and Hutu militia dismantling

Luanda agreements: Uganda withdrawing

Inter-Congolese dialogue to allow party system for Ugandan and Rwandan people still in DRC.

UN accuses Rwanda and Uganda of plundering resources from the DRC

Conflict Profile: Diamond,

Coltan, Zinc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txi4WCyOA8Y

Global Health Issues In Children

Children face significant

short and long term risks

to their health and well-

being.

This significantly

compromises their future

opportunities.

Impact in Women

Women are raped every day – a rate equal to 48 per hour. That rate is 26 times more than the previous estimate of 16,000 rapes reported in one year (the United Nations).

Sexual violence against women and young girl.

(American Journal of Public Health, June 2011)

Victim 18 year old Zawadi

Devota at a hospital where she receives treatment for HIV that she contracted when she was shot in the hip and gang raped during the Democratic Republic of Congo's mineral war. (UN report, 2013)

Data 700,000 Refugees

More than 4 Million Dead

Ceasefire, July 1999

UN Peacekeepers Put in Place (5,537)

Statistics on the Congo 5.4 million people have died as a result of the conflict. 2.7 million of the dead have been children. 1 in 5 children will die before their fifth birthday Average life expectancy is 47 years Budget has $2 per year on healthcare for its citizens More than 200,000 women and girls have been the

victim of rape or sexual violence More than 1million people have been forced to flee

their homes. At 20,000 UN troops, Congo is home to the largest

peacekeeping mission in the world. The UN Human Development Index report (2009)

ranks D.R. Congo as 176th out of 182 countries.

On going Conflicts Kivu conflict: Ethnic Hutus vs.

Ethnic Tutsis (Banyamulenge) in DRC

Rwanda supporting Tutsi rebels against DRC

LRA (based in Uganda) now camping in DRC massacring DRC population.

Hacking people to death, crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, rape, sexual slavery, and enlisting of children as combatants

In North Kivu murder and cannibalism by “Les Effaceurs” against the Mbuti tribe to take their land for mineral exploitation

Mai-Mai (DRC paramilitary) now not controlled by DRC

Ituri: UN trying to contain Lendu (Hutu) vs. Hema (Tutsi) tribal war

Flight

Starvation

Rape as a weapon of War

27,000 victims in 2013 in South Kivu alone

"I still have pain and feel

chills," said one victim, who was raped in February by five men. They held an AK-47 rifle to her husband's chest and made him watch, telling him if he closed his eyes they would shoot him. After raping her, they shot him anyway.

Many people chose not to be tested for HIV/AIDS because they know they risk being rejected if they are found to be HIV-positive.

Rape survivors are often rejected by their communities and abandoned by their husbands.

Rape victims are often afraid of having contracted sexually transmitted diseases while unwanted pregnancy also intensifies their trauma, the report says.

Figures suggest between 20-30% of patients, many rape survivors, are HIV-positive

1,152 women are raped every day, which amounts to roughly 48 women per hour.

Congolese Community of Minnesota

An association located in Blaine, Minnesota

Organization Purpose: Cultural, Ethnic Awareness

Lack of money to help New coming refugees in Minnesota

Lack of involvement in the community

How CCMN can best support the Congolese as they adjust to life in

the US Donate or sponsor

Build a one to one relationship with newly family

Get involved in the community

Volunteer to do interpret

Commit to follow up new arrivals in MN

Attend or host a fundraising/ awareness events

References:

http://voices.worldvision.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/WorldVision-Africa-ChildMiners.pdf

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/12/48-women-raped-hour-congo

http://www.congoweek.org/coltan-facts.html

https://sites.google.com/site/resouceofcolumbitetantalite/recommendation

http://www.un.int/drcongo/war/coltan.htm