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Congo Since its Independence
The Congo has gone through a lot since it became independent. Many have died through war and conflict, conflict still continues today over control of the mines which contain valuable minerals. -
Decolonization in Sub-Saharan Africa
From the late 1950s to the mid 1970s countries in Africa were given independence. The cold war was raging at this point which led to many proxy wars between the Soviets and the US in Sub-Saharan Africa due to the fact that these countries were non-aligned nations. -
Congo Gains Independence
The Formerly known Belgian Congo gained independence in June of 1960. The Congolese elected a President, Joseph Kasavubu along with a Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba. -
The Chaos Begins
President Eisenhower believed the republic of the Congo would be a stable and pro-Western state. Within days the newly independent country descended into chaos. Congolese soldiers mutinied against their white Belgian commanders at the Thysville military base. Word of this spread and within days all the other military bases followed suit. Violence was spread throughout the entire nation and the Belgians fled the country in fear of the violence. -
The UN helps the Congolese Government
The Belgians sent in troops to restore order without consulting Kasavubu or Lumumba. The Congolese government appealed directly to the UN asking for troops to help and demanded the removal of Belgian troops. The UN accepted the request of the Congolese government and sent in an intervention force called the "Organisations des Nations Unities au Congo" (ONUC). The UN also called for the removal of Belgian troops. -
Due to US intervention
The US saw the conflict in the Congo as an opportunity for the Soviets to influence the nation. Due to the US influence at the time Kasavubu was convinced that Lumumba was in it with the Soviets and he dismissed him. This caused civil unrest since Lumumba ignored Kasavubu's command and all the Lumumba supporters were outraged. Due to the potential civil war Colonel Joseph Mobutu of the Congolese National Army (CNA) orchestrated a coup d'etat, removing Lumumba and keeping Kasavubu as president. -
Lumumba's Fate
Mobutu worked with the US to remove the Soviet Bloc in the Congo and gained their trust. Due to the help of removing the soviets the CIA director Lawrence Devlin got an urgent message to Mobutu of an assassination plot against him. Lumumba was blamed for the plot and was eventually killed for treason. -
The Fall of Stanleyville
US aid continued for the next four years with support of Mobutu and the Department of Defense even came in with air support to fight off a rebel insurgency which helped the CNA in fighting off the large amount of rebels at the time. The Rebels were backed by most surrounding African countries. Eventually the rebels invaded Stanleyville and took westerners and a few Americans hostage. The US conducted and operation called Dragon Rouge and succeeded in saving the hostages. -
Mobutu takes power
After Stanleyville the country was facing a potential civil war again and Mobutu orchestrated a second coup d'etat. Removing both the president Kasavubu and the Prime Minister Tshombe, successfully taking power over the country. -
Mobutu Changes Names
Mobutu had been in power for some time and changed the name of the country to Zaire along with his own name to Mobutu Sese Seko. -
Mobutu nationalizes firms
Mobutu removed European investors and nationalized foreign-owned firms. He did this in an attempt to purge the country of all colonial influence, he also amassed a large amount of wealth during his time in power through influence and corruption. -
Rumble in the Jungle
Mohammad Ali and George foreman fought in Zaire(Congo) to establish a relationship between African-Americans and Africans. Mohammad Ali won the fight -
Rebels fight back
Mobutu asks foreign investors to come back to the Congo but had very little success. He needed money to fight off the rebels that were invading Katanga. The French Belgian and Morrocan troops came and helped the Congolese government fight off the attack. -
Cold War Comes to a Close
When the cold war ended Mobutu had very little support, since most of his support came from the fact that he refused the soviets for so many years. He had made the vital mistake of a leader by not keeping his people happy but most importantly his military. Due to low wages his soldiers looted the capital city of Kinshasa -
The Rwandan Genocide
1.5 Million Tutsi fled the genocide whilst about a million Hutu fled the Tutsi RPF retaliation fighting. They all fled to different parts of Zaire(Congo). Most of the Hutu aligned themselves with the Mai Mai militia who granted them access to mines and weapons. The Hutu militia now called Interahamwe rebel militias set up camps in Eastern Congo and attack Rwandan and Congolese Tutsis. -
After a long fight
The Tutsi Rebels aided by anti-Mobutu fighters overthrew the capital Kinshasa. They gained control over the country and renamed it the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They installed Laurent-Desire Kabila as president. Mobutu fled the country in exile to Tongo; He died on September 7th 1997. -
The war has just begun
After Kabila took power the war raged on for many years after. It was called Africas first world war. Even with the UN intervention many died including President Kabila who was shot by his own bodyguard. -
The fighting over minerals
The Second Congo war officially ends, However the Fighting still persists. The DRC army launched attacks on the civilian population. Rebel groups formed to fight the off the army and aimed to control the mines in the DRC. There are many valuable minerals in the Congo like Diamonds, Tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold. These minerals are used to fuel the rebels with money to purchase weapons. These minerals are used in Cell Phones, Video Games, Tv remotes and other household appliances. -
After years of War
The war was estimated to have killed 3 million and the government turned over Hutu gunmen to the UN for the killing of innocent tutsis in Rwanda. Peace treaties are signed and the first free elections are held in the DRC. Joseph Kabila the son of Laurence-Desire Kabila wins the election as president and fights to stop violence over the diamonds and other minerals in his country. -
Violence Increases
In 2009 the fighting between the Rebel groups and the government gets worse. Not only that, but both government forces and rebels have been violent towards civilians, roughly 2,500 civilians were slaughtered and over 7,000 women were raped as well as displacing more than 2 million people from their homes. -
Debt Relief and Help from UN
The DRC gets $8 billion dollars debt relief deal approved by World Bank and IMF. The UN Security Council approves temporary increase of troops to bolster the strained UN peacekeeping effort in the east. -
Kabila Re-elected
Presidential and parliamentary elections. Mr Kabila gains another term. The vote is criticized abroad and the opposition disputes the result. -
Countries stand together
Representatives of 11 African countries sign an accord in Ethiopia pledging to help end the conflict in DR Congo. The M23 rebel group declared a ceasefire ahead of the talks, and its leader Bosco Ntaganda surrenders the following month. 3,000-member UN Intervention Brigade deployed to fight and disarm rebels in the east. -
Protest turns violent
Dozens killed in protests against proposed electoral law changes which the opposition said were designed to allow President Kabila to remain in power. -
Deal Signed
A political deal signed between President Kabila's ruling coalition and the opposition to delay the presidential election until 2018 sees Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo and his cabinet resign, paving the the way for a new cabinet to include opposition figures. -
Mega Crisis
DR Congo is experiencing a "mega-crisis", with conflict having forced 1.7 million people to flee their homes during the year, aid agencies say. DR Congo is worst-affected by conflict displacement in the world, they say. -
Election Day
Main opposition Union for Democracy and Social Progress chooses Felix Tshisekedi as its candidate for the December presidential election. Governing People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy chooses former interior minister Ramazani Shadary as its presidential candidate, as President Kabila cannot run for another term. Felix Tshisekedi wins the election and become president of the DRC -
Its Still Violent today
The UN still has troops in the DRC but there are more than 140 armed groups were active in eastern Congo’s North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, and many continued to attack civilians. The violence in eastern Congo continue, attacking state security forces and attacking more than 883 civilians and abducting, as well as kidnapped for ransom. There is still violence in the DRC over minerals being bought by electronic companies. If the money keeps funding rebel groups violence will continue.
