THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

THE WORLD’S GREATEST TRAGEDY

Map of the CongoThe Congo at glance!• Straddles the Equateur• Literally and figuratively the heart of Africa• The fulcrum on which the African continent swings• Bordered by nine countries• 1/4th the size of the US and the size of Western Europe• Second largest rainforest• Untapped reserves of enormous resource• Approx. 60 million inhabitants• Over 200 ethnic groups• Life expectancy 51 years• Almost half the population is less than 15 years old

Who am I?

Personal• Born and raised in Congo• Came to the USA in 1998• 2 siblings• Love Lady Gaga

Professional• Student Coordinator with FOTC• Activist, Writer• Advocate for the Congo

A Brief Timeline 20, 000 BC: The Ishango Bones.

Pre-Kongo Civilization.

Kongo Empire (1000 BC).

First European Contact

Slave Trade and Fall of Empire Nzinga a Nkuwu, first

Christian Kongo King (1491)Baptized João I

Scramble for Africa begins European exploration of Africa (David Livingstone,

Henry Morton Stanley). 1884-85 Berlin Conference. King Leopold's Reign (1885 – 1908).

Henry Morton StanleyAmerican Explorer

David LivingstoneBritish Explorer

Leopold IIKing of Belgium

The Berlin Conference

The First Holocaust

• Extraction of Rubber• Killing of 10 million Congolese under Leopold’s Rule

George WashingtonWilliams

Civil War veteran, minister, politician and historian. Travelled to the Congo Free State and his open letter to Leopold about the suffering of the region's inhabitants at the hands of Leopold's agents, helped to sway European and American public opinion against the regime running the Congo under which some 10 million people lost their lives.

William Henry Sheppard

One of the earliest African Americans to become a missionary for the Presbyterian Church. He spent 20 years in Africa, primarily in and around the Congo Free State, and is best known for his efforts to publicize the atrocities committed against the Kuba and other Congolese peoples by King Leopold II's Force Publique.

Maria Fearing

Born a slave near Gainesville, Alabama in 1838, she learned to read and write at age thirty-three and worked her way through the Freedman's Bureau School in Talladega to become a teacher. At age fifty-six she went to the Congo, where for more than twenty years she worked as a Presbyterian missionary and eventually established the Pantops Home for Girls. Her students nicknamed her, "mama wa Mputu," (mother from far away) as a symbol of their love and appreciation.

Other Congo Supporters in the 1890-1908 era

Joseph Conrad (Heart of Darkness), Anatole France, Arthur Conan Doyle, (Crime of the Congo), Mark Twain (King Leopold's Soliloquy), Edmund Dene Morel, and Roger Casement founded the Congo reform association

Belgian Congo (1908 – 1960) Economic Consolidation and

Extractive relationship

Kimbangu resistance

Independence movements disguised as cultural associations

Paternalistic Political Rule and Role of Christian Mission

Van Bilsen 30 year plan for independence

Belgium accumulates debt in the name of the Congolese people

Patrice Emery Lumumba Brussels conference

Declaration of Independence

Congo elects Patrice Lumumba as Prime Minister (June 30 1960 Lumumba takes office)

Lumumba’s Independence Day Speech

Lumumba assassinated on January 17, 1961 just over six months after taking office

US, Belgium, French, British and UN Involvement in Lumumba’s assassination

Lumumba’s letter to his wife Pauline

The Mobutu Era (1960-1997) Mobutu Era (1960 – 1997) Initiated first coup in September

1960 Resistance by Nationalist and

Democratic Forces including the Mulele led resistance

Second coup in 1965 when he assumes the full reigns of power

Reign marked by Kleptocracy Cold War Patron of the West Destruction of the country Overthrown in May 1997

Laurent Desire Kabila Kabila’s time (1996 – 2001) Rwanda invades in October of 1996

using the Hutu unchecked presence in Congo as the rationale for the invasion

Kabila made spokesperson of Rebellion

May 1997 - Brought to power by Rwanda and Uganda with the help of Angola and the backing of the United States (See 2001 Congressional hearing of Tom Tancredo and Cynthia McKinney)

Kabila assassinated in January 2001 replaced by Joseph Kabila

The First African World War Launched in 1998 with the

second invasion of Congo by Rwanda and Uganda

Attempt to remove Kabila whom both countries installed in May 1997

Kabila appeals to Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia for support to resist Rwanda and Uganda

Marked by the systemic rape of Congo’s natural resources

Geopolitics - 8 African Countries implicated

The War Against Women

Quote from Women

We were accompanied by body guards for everything, even when we went to the toilet … We had to be at the disposition of the man who raped us all day. It was always the same man. Even if I did not want to, I had to be his concubine. He always had his gun pointed at me and threatened to kill me if I resisted him. If I posed the least resistance, he would hit me.

Therese

Central IssueThe ultimate reason for the terrorizing of the women and displacement of entire villages by the perpetrators is to access and control mineral rich land of gold, coltan, tin, niobium and other valuable resources. In fact, two types of systematic rapes are taking place in the Congo; one is the violent raping of women and the second is raping of the resources by multinational corporations; and the two are inextricably linked.

StatisticsBerkeley• 66 % said their home had been destroyed or confiscated• 61 % of those polled in the east said they witnessed the violent death of a family member or friend• 34 % said they themselves had been abducted for more than a week• 53 % reported being forced to work or being enslaved by armed groups• 16 % had been sexually violated and 12 percent multiple times

Johns HopkinsSnap Shot of South Kivu Province

• 82% of rape survivors have STDs

• 60% have lost their husbands

• Estimated 30% of rape survivors are HIV positive

• Impunity throughout province – estimated 40,000 case of rape - 38 cases brought to prosecution.

PrescriptionsIn order to stop the rapes, we must stop the conflict. The rapes are a direct result of the conflict. International pressure can play a role in stopping the conflict which is in fact the best way to help the women. Also, pressure on corporations to make sure that Congo's wealth is not looted and in fact benefit the people is also needed so that the women will have the resources needed to heal and recover from the trauma that they have experienced.

Current Situation in the Congo

Transitional Government (2003 – 2006)

One + Four (One president and four vice presidents)

Structural flaws of elections in 2006

Rebel groups in the North and East of Congo

Predators in the Congo Forrest International (George Forrest) Nikanor (Dan Gertler) Katanga Mining (Glencore) Dodge Phelps (Freeport McMoRan) Anvil Mining First Quantum Trinitech & Eagle Wings Kemet HC Starck Citibank American Mineral Fields/Adastra Cabot Corporation OM Group AngloGold Ashanti World Bank International Monetary Fund Heritage Oil Blattner Group Banro Traxis Woldwide Comprehensive List found on Website

Why Congo Matters

Rich LandUntold Wealth

Poor PeopleHuman Rights Lost

Since 1885, the affairs of the Congo have not been determined by the people of the Congo

The central question is who is going to control Congo's wealth and for whose benefit

The root cause of the conflict in the Congo is the scramble for her immense natural wealth

Why Congo Matters

Rich LandUntold Wealth

Poor PeopleHuman Rights Lost

Congo has enormous natural, hydro, agricultural and human potential

Congo's resources are vital to the functioning of the world's military, aerospace, technology and electronics industries

Congo's geo-strategic location and spectacular wealth makes it critical to the development and future of the entire African continent

The Forces Working Against the People of Congo

Local elites Neighboring countries Multilateral Institutions (World Bank, IMF, London Club, Paris

Club) Foreign governments Foreign Corporations

Congo' challenge is both internal and external. We can help through pressure on the outside and support to

groups on the inside.

Contribute Your Time, Talent and Treasure

What can you do?

1. Very Brief History of Congo's challenges: A. Control of Own Affairs B. Internal & External Challenges C. Geostrategic Battle D. Fulcrum on which Africa swings E. Enormous Potential - Energy, Hydro, Agriculture, 2nd Largest Rainforest in the World

2. Key note that what is taking place is the latest expression of scramble for Congo's wealth - would be a mistake if we pursue short-term policies that are not even guaranteed to work

3. We know what works - global pressure and attention on all parties involved

4. Optimum Ways to help: A. Global Pressure - appeal to President Obama to take the lead and encourage other nations to engage on what is a scar on the conscience of humanity B. Support local institutions and connecting them to the global flow of information, commerce and ideas

Congo 101

Congolese connecting to the world

Social Media for Advocacy

Break the Silence Movement

• Open-source

• Video Messages from Congolese to communities in Canada, Japan, and cities in America

• Use of technology in advocacy

• Translation of collateral in Japanese and Swedish

• Ideas, talents and skills have developed this movement

Secretary of StateHillary Clinton on Congo

Kinshasa, D.R. CongoAugust 10, 2009

"Use those cell phones to help organize, create political movements, expose crime and violence and corruption, empower the poor with information, access to credit, and social networks."

US PresidentBarack Obama

“If Africa is to achieve its promise, resolving the problems in the Congo will be critical."

Yole Africa in Goma

Yole Africa in Goma

Jeunesse pour Une Nouvelle Societe in Kinshasa

5th Graders at the American School of Kinshasa

Student at Osaka University in Japan

Young American Youth in Greensboro, NC

Champlain breaks the

silence!

WHAT IF CONGO WAS FREE?

Africa Today

Alternate African News Tomorrow

Refugee Camp in Congo today

Alternate Future Village in Africa

Alternate Future African Village

Alternate Future African City 

Africa at Night Today 

Alternate Future Africa at Night

 

Congolese Children Today

Alternate Future Congolese Children

Which Future Will You Choose?

HOW FOTC ACHIEVES ITS VISION

1. End Conflict & Worst Humanitarian Crisis

2. Partner with Congolese to control their resources and

determine their affairs

Global Pressure on world leaders and corporate actors

Support local Congolese institutions

Global Education/Mobilization Campaign

Leads to:

Political process backed by the

global community

Global pressure on international forces (corporate, foreign governments, multilateral) fueling the conflict,

weakening the people’s sovereignty, entrenching dependency and deepening

the impoverishment of the people

Strengthening of local Congolese

institutions

FOTC Top 10 Tactics:1. Congo Week2. Break the Silence

Tour3. Fundraising

Campaigns4. Grow support

networks5. Media outreach6. Commentaries and

policy papers7. Letter Writing

campaigns8. Cultural events9. Delegations to

Congo10. Open source

participation at several levels

Executed on massive global

scale (100 countries, 1,000 communities)

FOTC Strategy

Get Involved: Take Action Educate yourself Spread the word to your family friends and

loved ones Become a Friend of the Congo Invite A Congolese speaker to your community Support Congolese grassroots institutions Participate in the Recycle Program Write a letter to your elected officials and local

media Write corporations about their involvement in

the Congo Join our cyber protest and myth breakers team Sign-up for the FOTC email list Participate in FOTC delegations to the Congo Bring your talents, expertise, ideas and

suggestion to bear on the Break the Silence global movement

HOW CAN I HELP?• Join the global movement by visiting Friendsofthecongo.org and congoweek.org

• Text CLUBCONGO to 467467

• Support Congolese petition to Sec. of State Clinton or President Obama

• Make a financial or material (phone, camera, laptop, etc) contribution to our social justice efforts

• Invite us to your campus or community and encourage your family, friends and loved ones to do the same