Braeden Stevens
The basic human rights of the Congolese people have been violated for years and it needs to stop. King Leopold II of Belgium bought the Congo as his own private land. He forced the Congolese people to collect daily quotas of rubber. If they did not meet the quota they would have their hands cut off. Of course no countrys did a thing about it because he claimed that he was civilizing them, he also allowed his men to rape the women. In 1945, other countries that had been colonized in Africa were gaining independence. Soon Congolese soldiers started rising up against there white belgan commanders. The UN forced Belgium out of the Congo and eventually the Soviets later on. Chief Mobutu ended up ruling the Congo. Colonization by Belgium left the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a corrupt government and instability.
One lasting legacy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is rebels fighting the government. According to the 2019 world report 4.5 million people have been displaced due to fighting between the government and 140+ rebel groups. In 2013 the UN sent 3,000 “Peacekeepers� to stop rebel groups says BBC News. During colonization the Congolese were forced to forcefully change the government and had to fight to get their freedom from being slaves. So in that chaos of becoming free there were many different ways that citizens believe that the government should be structured. This caused the formation of multiple rebel groups. Before Belgium arrived the Congo was peaceful and then after they arrived it has been constantly at war. The leaders of the Congo continue to get rich while everyone else suffers.
Braeden Stevens
This Leads into the next legacy which is the government denying the people of the Congo rights like freedom of speech and shelter. In 2018 peaceful demonstrations were banned in the Congo. “During three separate protests led by the Lay Coordination Committee (CLC) of the Catholic Church in December 2017, and January and February 2018, security forces used excessive force, including teargas and live ammunition against peaceful protesters within and around Catholic churches in the capital, Kinshasa, and other cities. Security forces killed at least 18 people, including prominent pro-democracy activist Rossy Mukendi. More than 80 people were injured, including many with gunshot wounds.” The government also denies that there is any humanitarian crisis in the Congo says the 2019 World Report. As in a BBC News Africa Video “... corruption is a bad habit we have inherited when we gained independence… it is one of our main problem” says Lambert Mende Omalanga (the communication minister of the Congo). Belgium government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was corrupted. So even when the Congo finally gained independence from Belgium they had no structure so the government remained corrupted. The corruption has caused the people of the Congo to have their human rights imposed on.
Some may say that this proves nothing that a lot of Africa lives in poverty or has a corrupt government. This is wrong however because most of Africa was colonized and you can see similar effects all over the continent of Africa. The Congo has an HDI of .457 while the neighboring countries of Angola which has an HDI of .581 and Central African Republic which has an HDI of .367 according to Upfront. Africans were all forced
Braeden Stevens
into slavery by greedy corrupt leaders. Colonization affected all of Africa so you see similar affects all over Africa
King Leopold II was a tyrant who destroyed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. People have been forced to live in fear that any day could be the last. With threats from the government and armed rebel groups. The government fires into crowds of peaceful protesters and used tear gas. We need to stop this complete disrespect of human life.
Citations:
“DR Congo Country Profile.” BBC News, BBC, 10 Jan. 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13283212.
This was an online article/profile. It told me all about the Democratic Republic of the Congo stats. This article helped me to get an understanding of the history of the
Braeden Stevens
country. It also helped that it showed me stuff like population, life expectancy, literacy rate, etc.
Roth, Kenneth. “World Report 2019: Rights Trends in Democratic Republic of Congo.” Human Rights Watch, 17 Jan. 2019, www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/democratic-republic-congo.
This article was on the human rights of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This helped to show the humanitarian crisis and what amount of people were affected by violence. It also talked about the ban on peaceful protest.
“DR Congo's Journey into Chaos - BBC News.” DR Congo's Journey into Chaos - BBC News, BBC News, 21 Dec. 2018.
“World Affairs 2020.” Upfront On the Road to Extinction , 28 Oct. 2019, pp. 20–24.
Braeden Stevens