The DRC

1
The DRCs Civil War (1998-2003)
2
Presidents

• 1965-1997 Mobutu
• 1997-2001 Laurent Kabila
• 2001-present Joseph Kabila

3
Causes

• Rwandan genocide / Political (pro- vs.
  anti-Kabila)
• 1994 Hutus in E. Congo ? receive Mobutus
  support
• 1996 Rwanda invades wins
• 1997 Rwanda Uganda oust Mobutu install
  Laurent Kabila
• Kabila turns against Rwanda and supports Hutus
• 1998 Rwanda starts war vs. Kabila
• Economic control of mineral wealth

4
Sides
5
Sides Africas International War
Government forces Angola Zimbabwe Namibia Chad, Libya, Sudan Pro-Kabila rebel groups Hutu Mai-Mai Rebels Uganda Rwanda Anti-Kabila rebel groups MLC, RCD Goma, RCD ML
6
Sides Countries Motives

• Angola
• fighting Unita rebels, whose home base was in S.
  Congo
• believed Uganda Rwanda had ties to Unita
• previously fought Mobutu ? supported L. Kabila
• Zimbabwe
• unclear said they wanted to support DRCs
  legit. govt., but Mugabe may have wanted
  regional influence and/or mineral wealth
• Namibia family of pres. involved in Congolese
  mining
• Chad encouraged by France regain influence in
  DRC
• Libya break intl. isolation
• Sudan minor presence sent a few transport planes

7
Sides Countries Motives

• Uganda
• destroy Ugandan rebel bases / protect borders
  (stated reason, but not a great one these
  rebels were much less of a threat than Rwandas
  situation)
• mineral wealth
• Rwanda
• wipe out Hutu genocidaires in E. Congo

8
Course - Events

• 1998 war starts
• 1999 failed peace attempt
• b/c of mineral wealth
• 2001 Laurent Kabila assassinated ? Joseph K.
  takes over
• 2003 war ends

9
(No Transcript)
10
Course - Features

• most fighting in east DRC
• child soldiers
• militias / guerilla warfare (vs. organized armies
  open battles)
• less advanced weaponry machetes, stones, even
  garden tools

11
Consequences

• new constitution
• power-sharing govt.
• human cost
• 3m lives lost
• 3.4m refugees in DRC 2m in neighboring countries
• 40,000 cases of rape

12
Continuing Conflict

• 2004 2 coup attempts
• 2008 renewed fighting in east
• Rwandan Hutus vs. DRC govt.
• Laurent Nkunda (Congolese Tutsi) wreaks havoc
  (against Hutus DRC govt)

• 2009 govt. invites Rwanda in to fight Hutu
  militias arrest Nkunda

13
(No Transcript)