The Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Aime Mpane

Dr. David Benot-Mohan, prsident, Alliance Franaise de Dtroit

DISCLOSURES
1.) The information in this presentation is based on the internet research of Dr. David Benot Mohan, who is solely responsible for its content. 2.) Pictures and information is referenced where appropriate. 3.) The information presented is not endorsed by either the Alliance Franaise de Dtroit or the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo 4.) Only those slides referencing Doctors Without Borders contain information from their websites 5.) Dr. David Benot Mohan is not a member of Doctors Without Borders 6.) Alliance Franaise de Dtroit and its Board of Directors are supporters of Doctors Without Borders, who are the beneficiaries of this event. 7.) This presentation is absolutely intended to be free of political and commercial bias, and was created to highlight the humanitarian situation of the region.

WARNING
This presentation contains images of graphic violence, death, and extreme human suffering. Please be advised.

www.wikipedia.org

Justice Paix Travail Official Language: French 12th largest nation in the world Most populous Francophone country (71 M) No Alliance Francaise in the DRC Assets of raw material: $24 trillion (Equal to GDP of US and Europe combined)

www.discoverthejourney.org

photoblog.msnbc.msn.com

GDP per capita: $186 $15 dollars per year on healthcare

www.wikipedia.org

Congo Free State

King Leopold of Belgium Personal colony Assoc. Int. Africaine humanitarian objectives Belgian monopoly over other European nations Force Publique enforced rubber quotas by cutting off limbs. Decapitations of men and ritualistic hanging of women and children in the shape of a cross on the pallisades. Between 1885 and 1908, the population was reduced by half.

www.wikipedia.org

secretshistoriques.blogspot.com

lessignets.com

www.moustique.be

parlemento.wordpress.com

The Belgian Congo

1908, international (British) pressure Belgian parliament took over administration Exploitation of tens of thousands of people in rubber, copper, palm oil and cotton industry Post-WWII, Congolese allowed to buy land and infrastructure created. Civilizing mission linked to exploitation

www.wikipedia.org

Seeds of Independence
Nationalist and cultural movements Worlds fair in Belgium Charles de Gaulles visit to Brazzaville and offer of independence to French colonies Riots in Leopoldville, and within the Force Publique tipped the balance Kasavubu-first president Lumumba (prime minister) murdered partly by Belgian government

Patrice Lumumba, Left/centrist

www.wikipedia.org

www.wikipedia.org

1960s U.N peacekeepers Anti-Communist Mobutu takes over after rebellion Mobutu (head of army) created a harsh, corrupt dictatorship and re-named country Zaire After the Cold War, Western support waned and reformers joining political forces in the First Congo War forced him out of office. Zaire was a kleptocracy-Mobutu had embezzled the entire value of the national debt.

First Congo War Nov. 1996 to May 1997

In Rwanda, the Tutsis had gained power Hutus fled to DRC refugee camps Mobutus army helped these refugee Hutus to attack both Rwanda and Congolese Tutsis in Zaire
www.wikipedia.org

Hutu refugees in Zaire

Tutsi militia (Rwandan) and Ugandans, were helped by DRC politicians (Kabila) opposing Mobutus dictatorship. Mobutu was overthrown and Laurent-Dsir Kabila is proclaimed president in Kinshasa.
www.wikipedia.org

Second Congo War/Coltan War/Great War of Africa

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.

www.rechargebiomedical.com

www.wikipedia.org

www.wikipedia.org

Kabila turned to former Hutu enemies to balance the power of Tutsis Rwandans claimed influence, power plants and diamond mines in the East Kabilas diplomatic approach worked. Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Chad, Lybia and Sudan as well as U.S., Canada, Australia and Japan supported him. Nelson Mandela got the Rwandan president to admit his govts support of the war.

www.wikipedia.org

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 govt troops attacked Kabila, as well.

2001 Laurent Kabila assassinated

216.35.68.200/background/displaystory.cfm?story_id=486713

Joseph Kabila
Laurents son, Joseph, is confirmed as President-friendly to the West, and English-speaking Episcopalian 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

www.wikipedia.org

Diamonds

townipproject.wikispaces.com

Coltan

Coltan is an essential component in the manufacture of capacitors for cell phones and other electronic devices
merahza.wordpress.com

Copper and Zinc

Child laborers in Katanga quit school for mines

www.france24.com

www.lib.utexas.edu

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 peackeeping mission in the world. The UN Human Development Index report (2009) ranks D.R. Congo as 176th out of 182 countries.
www.warchild.org.uk

On-going conflicts
Kivu conflict: Ethnic Hutus (FDLR) vs. Ethnic Tutsis (Banyamulenge) in DRC Rwanda supporting Tutsi rebels against DRC LRA (based in Uganda) now camping in DRC massacring DRC for trying to help the US contain them. 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

www.wikipedia.org

intlawgrrls.blogspot.com

onyeri.wordpress.com

heyokamagazine.com

Lords Resistance Army

inewp.com

news.bbc.co.uk

Mabanga Ya Talo, DRC

www.ctamnesty.org

www.cwla.org/voice/SO10war.html

Reaping the harvest of Rwandas genocide

condition-critical.org

condition-critical.org

Death from cholera

condition-critical.org

Flight

condition-critical.org

Starvation

Rape as a Weapon of War

27,000 victims last year 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 AK47 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.

theage.com.au

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 ostracised 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 2030% of patients, many rape survivors, are HIV-positive
bbc.co.uk

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

news.change.org

What is the Alliance Franaise de Dtroit doing to help fellow Francophones in The Congo?

Alliance Franaise de Dtroit effort

Subcommittee for DRC of the Board of AFDetroit headed by Dr. Benoit-Mohan and Carol Marti Series of fundraisers to benefit Doctors Without Borders/Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) field teams in The Congo June fundraiser with a guided tour by Dr. Nii Quarcoopome, curator of African Art of the Detroit Institute of Arts to view DRC art . Fashion show in September of a local French fashion retailer

Doctors Without Borders/Mdecins Sans Frontires

Doctors Without Borders/Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. For more information on how MSF is helping people in the DRC, please click on the links provided on the afdetroit.org website page DRC-Relief Effort.

Where the Money Goes

25/day provides two nourishing meals every day for a month to a child threatened by famine 50/day provides a month of clean water for 40 refugees $1/day provides a surgical kit to carry out emergency examinations and basic surgery in the field $2/day provides a month of nursing care for refugees from war or natural disaster

Doctors Without Borders/Mdecins Sans Frontires

Aidez-nous, S.V.P.