The eastern drc showing the provinces of ituri, north kivu and south kivu. Causes of the congolese civil wars and their implications. The great lakes conflagration continues the accounting of the reporting of africas world war that could be laid at the feet of the rwandan genocide and the events that it triggered in the neighboring congo. The united states recent declaration of support for kabila could also change the balance of force. They retaliated by invading the democratic republic of the congo, starting the second congo war. The democratic republic of the congo enough project.
Introduction this study is the result of a mix of ground investigation made in the past few years in the democratic republic of congo from here on, drc and in the neighboring countries of the great lakes region by the school for a culture of peace. A brief history of the democratic republic of the congo. The great african war south african history online. There have also been strains regarding the presence of nearly. The second congo war also known as the great war of africa or the great african war, and sometimes referred to as the african world war began in the democratic republic of the congo in august 1998, little more than a year after the first congo war, and. Congo government president laurent kabila, angola, namibia, zimbabwe and chad. There can be no doubt that the economic potential of the entire african. Nov 29, 2011 a brief history of congo s wars key to understanding congo today is understanding the violence that has defined the countrys recent history. He is coauthor of the democratic republic of congo. The war in the democratic republic of congo drc has certainly had devastating economic consequences for congo itself, but it has also affected the whole of the central africa region and even some countries not bordering on congo, notably intervening zimbabwe and namibia. Despite the new government, the eastern congo continued to be an unstable war zone. For nearly 2 decades, drc has been divided by armed conflict as a result of the first and second congo wars 19961997 and 19982003, and the. Nov 08, 2017 the first congo war 19961997 was a foreign invasion of zaire led by rwanda that replaced president mobutu sese seko with the rebel leader laurentdesire kabila. Former military ruler dennis sassou nguesso seized power in the republic of congo during october 1997 with the help of angolan troops.
Structural causes of conflict in democratic republic of congo, 1996 2006 gilbert o. During the onehundredday genocide, hundreds of thousands of rwandan tutsi and sympathizers were massacred at the hands of predominantly hutu aggressors. The congo, decolonization, and the cold war, 19601965. Nov 29, 2011 second congo war the great war of africa. By september 1998, a month after the second congo war had begun, the two sides were at a stalemate. Study on the first and second congo war history essay. A brief history of the democratic republic of the congo, the. The first and second congo wars took place in the territory of the democratic republic of congo and was one of the deadliest wars in the world since world war ii. The prokabila forces controlled the west and central part of the congo, while the antikabila forces controlled the east and part of the north. The congo war 1998 present map of the congo war circa 2003. Causes of the congolese civil wars and their implications for humanitarian assistance 5 chronic weakness of the postcolonial state in africa joined by a systematic lack of productive industries has perverted the state into a compensatory kind of enterprise. Red lines indicate approximate zones of control in 2003. Congos government has never effectively represented or.
Democratic republic of congo the shifty neighbor kinshasa, the capital of the drc, lies just across the river from brazzaville and the two capitals have a tradition of providing asylum for political figures fleeing from one congo into the other. Zaire was a key pawn in the cold war, and each of these countries had. Destabilization in eastern zaire that resulted from the rwandan genocide was the final factor that caused numerous internal and external actors to align against the corrupt and inept. The triggering events behind the congo crisis were the mutiny of the army the force publique near leopoldville on july 5 and the subsequent intervention of belgian paratroopers, ostensibly to protect the lives of belgian citizens. Democratic republic of the congo the congo crisis britannica. A brief history of congos wars key to understanding congo today is understanding the violence that has defined the countrys recent history. Congo has most mineral resources that the global village needs to sustain the fastgrowing technological advancements. The largest war in modern african history, it directly involved eight african nations, as well as about 25armed groups.
Congo at war icg congo report n2, 17 november 1998 page. The first congo war 199697 was swift, aimed at helping laurent kabila oust mobutu seseseko rwanda and angola also helped. The study is based on the political, economic and social structures that the drc society is structured, the study applies structural theoretical framework. The second congo war also known as the great war of africa or the great african war, and sometimes referred to as the african world war began in the democratic republic of the congo in august 1998, little more than a year after the first congo war, and involved some of the same issues. The great african war congo and regional geopolitics, 19962006 this book examines a decadelong period of instability, violence and state decay in central africa from 1996, when the war started, to 2006, when elections formally ended the political transition in the democratic republic of congo drc. As the conflict of the country rages on, women are experiencing a conflict of their own as sexual violence is waged upon their bodies. The history of the democratic republic of the congo, the 18th largest country in the world, is fraught with violence, conflict and exploitation. The conflict in the eastern democratic republic of congo, which i visited over the last week of april, has killed somewhere between 3.
Mobutu organised an airlift of the defeated hutu rwandan army soldiers there to kisangani on the banks of the congo river. From the personal colony of king leopold ii of belgium, to the dictator joseph mobutus personal piggy bank, to a country divided by a twentyyear civil war, the drc has a history of division and conflict. Soon after uganda and rwanda fell out with kabila, occasioning the second congo war 19982003, which involved four other african states. This study analyzes the causes of civil wars in the congo since independence and investigates how the congo case fits the model of civil war proposed by collier and hoeffler. Emizet francois kisangani is professor of political science at kansas state university. On march 14, 2012 thomas lubangu dyilo, leader of rebel militia, the union of congolese patriots upc during the second war in the congo, was convicted by a three judge panel at the international criminal court, in the hague, netherlands for war crimes against children during the years 20022003. Causes, impact and implications for the great lakes region executive summary the democratic republic of congo is recovering from conflicts, posting substantial improve ment in overall macroeconomic performance since the cessation of the war, on the back of robust copper and cobalt exports. Since the late 19th century, congos vast natural resources have continually attracted violent intervention from abroad and stoked internal conflicts. The burundian army preoccupied with the civil war at home, is not a major player in the congo, but the rebels, again estimated to number about 15,000, are an important component of the congolese government forces. Rape as a weapon of war in the democratic republic of the.
Structural causes of conflict in democratic republic of. First, the level and growth rate of national income increased the risk of war by reducing the cost of organizing rebellions. Nov 22, 2016 first congo war 3 minute history jabzy. Zimbabwe against rwanda, uganda, and its new congolese allies. Democratic republic of the congo democratic republic of the congo the congo crisis. Net june 2011 5 through means of sexual violence, has never ended. For nearly 2 decades, drc has been divided by armed conflict as a result of the first and second congo. However, after kabila was installed as the new president, he broke ties with rwanda and uganda. Rape as a weapon of war in the democratic republic of the congo. The congo war, which began in 1998, has not yet ended. In the democratic republic of the congo, rape has become a notorious weapon of war. Though the war officially ended in 2003, sporadic conflicts and episodes of extreme violence committed by armed groups or. It rarely makes global headlines, but over five million adults and children from the democratic republic of congo drc are currently displaced or refugees, away from their home.
Kabila and the congolese rebels fighting to overthrow him. Jan 25, 2001 the countrys armed rebels have also found a base in the congo, and employment fighting for president kabila. The events of 19967 were embedded in the larger context of three conflicts, which although not. Blood minerals and africas underreported first world war 3 stanley first traveled down the congo river and discovered the riches of the land in 1871. The first civil war was sparked by the 1994 rwandan genocide, which led around two million rwandan refugees to flee to eastern congo. This resulted in a rwandanugandan joint invasion in 1998. Structural causes of conflict in democratic republic of congo. The decolonization of subsaharan africa from the late 1950s to the mid1970s resulted in several proxy cold war confrontations between the united states and the soviet union over the dozens of newly independent, nonaligned nations. Identification of arms sources found in the conflict in drc. Background and current developments congressional research service 1 recent developments in february 2011, the congolese government formally charged one senior military officer and 10 soldiers of mass rape in the town of fizi, in the eastern province of south kivu. The democratic republic of congo is slowly recovering from a conflict known as africas first world war, which led to the loss of some five million lives between. The first phase of the second congo war led to a stalemate in the democratic republic of the congo. The deciding event in precipitating the first congo war was the rwandan genocide, which sparked a mass exodus of refugees known as the great lakes refugee crisis. Congo has most mineral resources that the global village needs to.
The origins of the current congo war are rooted in the countrys two civil wars, beginning in 1996 and 1998, respectively. Some experts argue that the war in congo is actually three wars. Sep 12, 20 the origins of the current congo war are rooted in the countrys two civil wars, beginning in 1996 and 1998, respectively. Kabila turned on his former backers rwanda and uganda and allowed hutu armies to regroup in eastern congo. Civil wars in the democratic republic of congo, 19602010. In addition, other foreign armies and at least 1 democratic republic of congo profile timeline, bbc news, 14 may 2018, comnewsworldafrica286306. The democratic republic of the congo roots of the crisis the crisis in the democratic republic of the congo, or drc, has many layers. The second congo war was a consequence of first war congo war. Former military ruler dennis sassou nguesso seized power in the republic of congo during october 1997 with the help of. War in congo is directly linked to the control of mineral resources. On one side were congolese rebels backed and guided by rwanda, uganda, and burundi. The second congo war, also known as africas world war 3 and the great war of africa, began in august 1998 in the democratic republic of the congo formerly called zaire, and officially ended in july 2003 when the transitional government of the democratic republic of the congo took power though hostilities continue to this day.
The first and second wars, 19962003 the enough project. Net june 2011 background on eastern drcs minerals trade the tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold6 extracted from eastern congo are known today as conflict minerals for their role in fueling the worlds deadliest ongoing conflict. Between 1998 and 2003, the second congo war pitted angola, the drc, namibia, and. Republic of the congo between march 1993 and june 2003. Economic dimensions of war and peace a choice outstanding academic book in 2006 and of the historical dictionary of the democratic republic of congo. Alliance of democratic forces for the liberation of congo. Preventing further war nairobibrussels, 16 december 2001. This conflict is sometimes known as africas first world war because it at times involved armed forces from more than seven nations as well as numerous rebel groups and militias. The roots of war in eastern congo world news the guardian.
Joint evaluation of conflict prevention and peace building in. Rape of this magnitude has seldom been seen in the history of conflict, yet it continues, as few are aware of its existence. Causes of the congolese civil wars and their implications for humanitarian assistance 4 patrons or from investors willing to invest23 is no longer dependent on taxation of domestic productive sectors. Adding to the confusion was a constitutional impasse that. Causes of the congolese civil wars and their implications for.
Jan 27, 2019 in the first congo war, the support of rwanda and uganda enabled congolese rebel, laurent desirekabila, to overthrow mobutu sese sekos government. In the wake of the 1994 rwandan genocide in which 800,000 tutsis and moderate hutus were killed, millions of rwandan refugees flooded into the eastern democratic republic of congo. The first congo war began in 1996 as rwanda grew increasingly concerned that members of rassemblement democratique pour le rwanda militias, who were carrying out crossborder raids from zaire currently known as the democratic republic of congo, were planning an. This document is also available in pdf format on the website. The countrys armed rebels have also found a base in the congo, and employment fighting for president kabila. The first congo war 19961997, also nicknamed africas first world war, was a civil war and international military conflict which took place mostly in zaire presentday dr congo, with major spillovers into sudan and uganda. First and second congo wars africas first world war. This study investigate the structural causes of conflict in democratic republic of congo drc between 1996and 2006. About 80% of colombite tantalum of the world, used in phone and computer transistors, is found in congo. Feb 06, 2000 some experts argue that the war in congo is actually three wars.