Despite periodic uprisings and unrest, mobutu ruled the congo renamed zaire in 1971 until the mid1990s. Most of us might first think of those who put their lives on the line in defense of an ideal. The congo civil war, or congo crisis, was a complex political tumult that began just days following belgiums granting of congolese independence in 1960. Mobutus second coup, on november 24, 1965, occurred in circumstances strikingly similar to those that had led to the firsta struggle for power between the incumbent president, kasavubu, and his prime minister, this time tshombe. A chronology of key events in the history of the democratic republic of congo, from the 1200s to the present. While devlin insists that mobutus seizure of power came on mobutus initiative, the cia agent served as an informal adviser to mobutu during the lumumba crisis, and their relationship tightened. In each issue of origins, an academic expert will analyze a particular current issue political, cultural, or social in a larger, deeper context. Janzens earlier books on african health and healing, revealing the collaborative effort by local, national, and. Fiction and nonfiction books set completely or at least partially in either the republic of the congo or the democratic republic of the congo.
The congos independence struggle viewed fifty years later. On june 5, 1978, the congolese dictator josephdesire mobutu stood on a hot grassy bluff in the south of his vast country. Congo crisis project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. His rule is best described as kleptocracy with rampant corruption and nepotism plaguing all sectors. An estimated 100,000 lives were lost in the crisis and many more during the reign of mobutu. This sutori will investigate the congo crisis, the causes, effects, and the relevance it has to the cold war what is a crisis.
Crise congolaise was a period of political upheaval and conflict in the republic of the congo today the democratic republic of the congo 3 between 1960 and 1965. Democratic republic of the congo democratic republic of the congo mobutus regime. In 1965, mobutu attempted a second coup and this time he successfully took power. The organization of african unity and the congo crisis, 196465, documents. Lses jonathan silver calls michael deiberts book an essential read for. It was the mobutu regime that gave rise to the term kleptocracy rule by thieves. William d hartung letter holds feb 6 article understates united states role in fueling fighting in congo. It borders on angola in the southwest and west, on the atlantic ocean, cabinda an angolan exclave, and the republic of the congo in the west, on the central african republic and south sudan in the north, on uganda. Mobutu sese seko 1930 43 works search for books with subject mobutu sese seko 1930. Cordier, who worked for the united nations from its inception in 1946 until 1961, and later.
His reports resulted in king leopold ii of belgium establishing the congo free state. It would be more accurate to say that the congo has been in a crisis for several centuries now, but for the purposes of this piece i will focus specifically on what has happened in the. His book makes sense of the warring factions competing in zaire. During his reign, congo also suffered from widespread human rights violations. While most studies of the congo crisis concentrate on dag hammarskjold the charismatic u. Mobutu sese seko kuku ngbendu wa za banga was a congolese politician and military. Mobutu s coup saw to the removal of kasavubu and tshombe, and mobutu.
This sutori will investigate the congo crisis, the causes, effects, and the relevance it has to the cold war. Although it has been strangely ignored in the western press, one of the most destructive wars in modern. Except for the sending of christian missionaries to the area, little was done to prepare the country for independence. He also served as chairperson of the organisation of african unity from 1967. Dictatorship and neocolonialism in the congo huffpost. In the footsteps of mr kurtz by michela wrong 2000 a vivid study of the rise and fall of the president who looted the congo, mobutu sese seko.
Democratic republic of congo profile timeline bbc news. The current crisis in the congo is just the latest crisis for a country that has been in constant crisis since obtaining its independence from belgium in 1960. The people of the congo, as this book shows, have suffered cruelly throughout the past century from a particularly brutal experience of colonial ru. Winner of the 20 choice award for outstanding academic title battleground africa traces the congo crisis from postworld war ii decolonization efforts through mobutus second coup in 1965 from a radically new vantage point. His regime had little success in establishing the conditions needed for economic growth and development. Three new books on the democratic republic of the congo. The remains of mobutu sese seko, one of africas most flamboyantly corrupt rulers, are to be repatriated to the democratic republic of the congo, its president has announced mobutu, who ruled. Mobutu sese seko and the crisis in zaire turner, thomas not in library. A vivid study of the rise and fall of the president who looted the congo, mobutu sese seko. Mobutu sese seko kuku ngbendu wa za banga loweralpha 1 m. Under mobutus rule, death became commonplace and widespread violence blanketed the congo and.
Mobutu sese seko, president of zaire now the democratic republic of the congo who seized power in a 1965 coup and ruled for some 32 years before being ousted in a rebellion in 1997. See more ideas about congo crisis, congo and africa. This analytical narrative investigates the varying nature and strength of the state in congo zaire from colonial times through the tumultuous years after independence, the ups and downs of the mobutu years, the two wars at the turn of the century, the interim government and the beginning of the fourth. The congo since independence, january 1960december 1961.
He also served as chairperson of the organisation of african unity in 19671968. He also served as chairman of the organisation of african unity in 19671968. Within a year, he had established a brutal dictatorship that lasted until 1997. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. But a year later, crossborder violence persisted in the countrys east and ethnic tensions, new and old, spread. Mobutu sese sekos body to be returned to democratic.
Based on extensive field research in the manianga region of the lower congo, health in a fragile state is an anthropological account of public health and health care after the collapse of the congolese state in the 1980s and 1990s. The poisonwood bible by barbara kingsolver, heart of darkness by joseph conrad, king leopolds ghost by adam hochschild, congo. Mobutu sese seko biography facts, childhood, family life. Books on the congo history of zaire and the belgian congo. Richard lea surveys the best books about a troubled region.
Government troops sheltering from the rain after a night of battles against rebel forces led by the warlord laurent nkunda, near goma, eastern congo, november 12, 2008. Stearns has spoken to everyonevillagers, child soldiers, mobutus. Barbara kingsolvers 1998 historical novel the poisonwood bible depicts the events of the congo crisis from a fictional standpoint, featuring the role of mobutu in the crisis. But what distinguishes the book is its clearheadedness. After several years of repeated rebellion in the north and east of the country, mobutu seized power in a coup detat in 1965. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it. These three new books offer keen insights into the political and civil strife that. Patrice lumumba, just released from prison, showing his injured wrists what does it mean to have courage. David livingstone was the first european explorer to enter the region. References the name translates the warrior who knows no defeat because of his endurance and inflexible will and is all powerful, leaving fire in his wake as he goes from conquest to conquest. What are the best books about the belgian congo and king. In this extraordinary history of the recent wars in central africa, gerard prunier offers a gripping account of how one grisly episode laid the groundwork for a sweeping and disastrous upheaval. Even after emerging from colonial rule in 1960, a despot, joseph mobutu, forced his way to power after the assassination of patrice lumumba. Namikas offers a fine history of the cold war politics of congo during the.
Wrong mixes horror stories and a wellresearched history of mobutus regime with an account of ordinary life in a country plunged into economic crisis. Congo crisis hardcover january 1, 1966 by joseph bayly author 4. Stearns has spoken to everyonevillagers, child soldiers, mobutus commanders. Drawing on recently opened archives in russia and the united states, and to a lesser extent germany and belgium, lisa namikas addresses the crisis. Secretarygeneral who directed the overall intervention in the congo until his death in a suspicious 1961 plane crash4 this study focuses on andrew w. The democratic republic of congo drc will mark 57 years of independence on friday, 30 june. Mobutu sese seko resource learn about, share and discuss. South africa and the congo crisis, 19601965 routledge, 2019.
Mobutu s second coup, on november 24, 1965, occurred in circumstances strikingly similar to those that had led to the firsta struggle for power between the incumbent president, kasavubu, and his prime minister, this time tshombe. In addition to the analysis provided by each months feature, origins will also include images, maps, graphs and other material to complement the essay. Drawing on recently opened archives in russia and the united states, and to a lesser extent germany and belgium, lisa namikas addresses the crisis from the perspectives of the two superpowers and explains with superb clarity the complex web of allies, clients, and. Mobutu renamed the country zaire, and began to use the name of mobutu sese seko. Democratic republic of the congo formerly zaire questia.
One of congos most intrepid observers, he describes the war from the point of view of its. In the hundred years of bloodshed that was the 20th century, the congo war is a tragedy that. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of mobutu sese sekos fall from power in 1997 the drc is. During the congo crisis, mobutu, serving as chief of staff of the army and supported by belgium.
Even though i doubt mobutu was all that good, maybe the rest of the lot was worse than him. The rwandan genocide sparked a horrific bloodbath that swept across subsaharan africa, ultimately leading to the deaths of some four million people. Mobutu kept up his studies by borrowing european newspapers from the belgian officers and books from wherever he could find. The people of congo, having shed the former name of zaire as well as the rule of mobutu, cheered kabila as he swept into power, hoping for an end to years of poverty and decline. Mobutu sese seko was the military dictator who presided over the democratic republic of the congo for over three decades after seizing power in 1965. See more ideas about congo, congo crisis and africa. From mobutu to kabila, the drc is paying a heavy price for.
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