The Congo Flashcards
Was was there never any stability in the Congo once it gained independence
- just after it had gained independence the army mutinied
- the province of Katanga seceded from the new republic
- Lumumba was tortured and murdered
- repeated rebellions in the north and east until Mobutu seized power. He remained it Zaire and it became corrupt
How did the Congo gain independence from Belgium
- Belgium had little intention of granting independence to Congo after WW2
- They were planning a 10 year period of transition
- Unrest broke out (because the Congolese were frustrated at being exploited) and Belgium responded by holding free elections
- elections were boycotted
- a round table conference was held in Brussels where Lumumba and Tshombe negotiated with Belgian colonists
- decided that new elections and independence would follow
Who became the prime minster of Congo
Lumumba
Of which party was Lumumba the head
The largest one: MNC
What does MNC stand for
National Congolese Movement
Who became president
Lumumba’s rival; Kasavubu
What did Lumumba support
National government
What did Kasavubu want
A federation beaded on ethnicity
What dangers did king of Belgium warn the Congolese against
- The inexperience of people to govern themselves
- Tribal fights
- attraction some of the Congolese regions have for foreign powers who will profit from any weakness
Who was Lumumba
- Only completed primary education
- Part of the ‘evolues’
- Co-founder of MNC
- Attended the Pan-Africanist Conference in Ghana which shaped many of his long-term objectives
- Victim of coup funded by USA and Belgium who feared African nationalism
- Regraded as a hero “best son of Africa”/ ”Black messiah”
- Fought for social justice
What was Lumumba’s vision for the Congo
- Complete independence
- Complete Congolese over Congo’s resources to enhance living conditions
- Believed all institutions needed to be democratised
- Goal was gradual Africanisation and development
- Wanted a strong centralised state
What were some challenges faced by Lumumba
- Kasavubu (federations of states based on ethnicity) and Tshome (loose federation of states) did not share his vision
- Congolese preferred to support ethnic leaders .˙. Not much support i congo or internationally
Why do people admire Lumumba
- Involved in anti-colonial struggles (freedom fighter)
- Only leader with ideal of national unity
- Could have held the Congo together and prevented foreign nations from exploiting resources
- Bold and decisive (even though it contributed to his downfall)
- Courage and dignity while being tortured
Wha is Lumumba condemned for
- Lack of experience which led to errors of judgement
- Speech that criticised Belgium and turned them against the congo
- Turning to USSR for for help making him look pro-communist a
What kind of leader was Mobutu Sese Seko
He was referred to as a president and said he was in favour of democracy but he was actually a dictator
What evidence is there that Sese Seko was a dictator
- He got rid of all other political parties except for his own (MPR) which allowed him to win a seven year term.
- There were many human rights violation during his rule and his enemies wee cruelly suppressed
- He used intelligence agencies to keep him advised on anyone who posed a threat to him
What was a positive aspect of Sese Seko’s rule
He aimed at promoting a sense of national unity and ride in Zairean identity and culture
What did Sese Seko rename the congo to
The Republic of Zaire
What came with the new name Zaire
A series of steps to lessen European influences on the nation’s society and economy
What did the new name adopted by Sese Seko mean
All-conquering warrior who goes from triumph to triumph
What are some negative aspects of Sese Seko’s rule
- Zaire became involved in the Angolan civil war and supported the losing faction
- Lives of ordinary Zairians did not improve
- His rule is associated with the mismanagement of funds and corruption
- Zaire came to be referred to as a kleptocracy
- He unseated Lumumba and handed him to the Katanga regime which led to his murder
What was associated with Sese Seko’s cult of personality
Pictures of him were in all the government buildings and he had monuments dedicated to himself
What was ‘Mobutism’
It was a phrase coined by the international press describing the end result of his social and political reforms. Following Sese Seko became like a national religion
What did Sese Seko do during the Cold War
He was supported by the USA because he was anti-communist and would guarantee that Zaire’s rich resources would be exported to the US, not the Soviet Union or other communist countries.
What political legacies affected the Congo
- There was no attempt to train African personnel .˙. There were no trained Congolese to fill roles in the government
- There were no doctors, engineers and army officers
- There were no Congolese secondary school teachers
- There was constant interference from Belgium
- Belgium and the USA funded secessionist movement in the resource rich places of the congo
- The interference was also part of the reason Lumumba was not a successful leader
- Ethnic rivalry was rooted in colonialism- Belgians were able to secure power by encouraging inter-tribal divisions
- There was no unity among leaders
What happened durning the misty in the congo
- Army mutinied because they didn’t want to be exploited by Belgian officers
- Rioters demanded immediate Africanisation of the army
- Initially Lumumba pleaded for them to obey the commands of the Belgians but army threatened to intensify protests
- Lumumba dismissed many Belgian officers who were replaced by untrained Congolese
- Lumumba appointed Mobutu to be chief of the armed forces
- violence continued
What were the events that led to the civil war in the Congo
- Separatist tribal groups in Katanga and Kasai declared independence of their own provinces
- Katanga was supported by a Belgian mining company who brought in troops to protect their economic interests
- con was in a critical situation because: the army had developed into a dangerous mob; government authority had collapsed; the white population had fled; and the Katanga secession was tearing the country apart
What happened as a result of Katanga’s secession
Lumumba broke off all ties with Belgiumand appealed to the UN for assistance
How did the UN assist Lumumba
They passed a resolution demanding Belgium withdraw from Katanga and they sent the Secretary-General of the UN to the Congo
How did the congo become a tool in the Cold War
- Lumumba turned to the Soviet Union for assistance
- They provided the Congo with food, military equipment and military advisors
- Lumumba was only focused of defeating Tshombe and Kasavubu
- Acceptance of Soviet assistance angered the USA and they found Lumumba threatening
- The USA wanted Mobutuso he declared himself temporary head of state
- Eisenhower approved of a CIA strategy to poison Lumumba (in his food or toothpaste) this failed as they could not get close enough to him
What happened to Lumumba
- He was deposed by Mobutu
- Escaped from the Prime Minister’s residence to join his supporters in Stanleyville
- Arrested and placed in military prison
- Sent to capital of Katanga by Kasavubu and was never seen again
- Announcement of his death only made a month later and is surrounded by controversy
Why is it said that Belgium was responsible for Lumumba’s murder
- Documents in some archives suggest that Belgium as behind the Katanga secession to protect their economic interests
- During the mutiny of the Congolese army the Belgium troops did not withdraw as asked
- Lumumba gave reason to believe that he would turn the the USSR for assistance which raided alarm
- He accepted assistance from the USSR in the for of weapons and military advisors
- He turned to the UN but they refused to help
What problems did the rebel government in Staleyville cause
- The rebel movement spread
- Discipline began to break down
- Acts of terror and violence
- Thousands of Congolese executed in front of a monument to Lumumba in Stanleyville
What was the name of the group of Congolese rebels that started to rebel against the government
Simba- Swahili for Lion
Who was chosen to lead the central government in a war against the rebels
Tshome
How did Tshombe put down the struggle
He recruited white mercenaries and he had the aid of American and Belgian paratroops
Which other area became an area of conflict between Zaire and Angola
Shaba
Why did Shaba become an area of conflict between Zaire and Angola
Sese Seko had chosen to support UNITA and the FNLA in the Angolan civil war
What does FNLC stand for
Front for the National Liberation of the Congo
What did members of the FNLC do
They attached Shaba and captured many towns; making it clear that they wanted to overthrow Sese Seko
What did Mubuto do in response to the attack on Shaba
He made an appeal for international help. 1500 Moroccan troops supported by France were sent in and the USA and Belgium also helped
What happened as a result of the attack on Shaba
70 000 Congolese sought safety in refugee camps
What happened when the FNLC attacked Shaba for a second time
French and Belgian assistance resulted in the deafest of the FNLC
What is the economy like in the congo and why is it this way
Despite the mineral and agricultural resources and large amounts of hydroelectricity it is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is at the end of the IMF’s list of the poorest countries. It is the richest in untapped mineral wealth. Mining companies thrived before but now do not because of poor management or effects from declines in global market prices
What does the Congo’s economy depend on
The export of minerals
What minerals does the Congo mainly export
Copper Cobalt Diamonds Gold Zinc Tin
Why did the economic situation in the Congo deteriorate under Sese Seko’s rule
- Industries and farms were nationalized but the government had to borrow money to run the new industries
- Mismanagement led to a decrease in production levels and the government felt the need to return portions of the farms and companies t private ownership
- Price of the main export (copper) dropped so it became difficult for the government to pay off its foreign debts
What factor impacted trade
Poor roads and railway services
What did the government try to do to reduce the inflation rate after it reached 100 %
They planned to decrease imports and cut down on health services, educational programs and social-welfare benefits. This affected the olives of the poor
What was another reason for economic decline
Zaire depended Angola’s railway to transport copper, cobalt and manganese from Shaba to the ports. When it was shut down during the Angolan civil war it forced Zaire to find other more expensive, less effective routes. This meant food couldn’t be transported so food prices skyrocketed
What were some benefits of independence
Africans began to develop their own talents
- Poetry
- Verses and novels
- Educational revolution as they were able to learn abut their continent and the rest of the world
- Inspired Congolese authors with new themes (found expression in historical accounts and political writings)
- Playwrights
What impact did independence have on education
- There was a shortage of money and lack of trained educators for new schools
- Only half of the Congolese children attended primary school and 1/6 attended a secondary school
- Education better in urban areas, but still limited in rural areas
- Government allowed Christian schools again: this is where most young Congolese were educated
- Goal of the government was to train Congolese in technical and managerial skills to end reliance on foreign experts to run factories
What changes were made under Mubuto’s Africanization
- Congolese had to discard European names and replace the with African ones
- European priest would be imprisoned if the baptized an African held with a western Christian name
- The wearing of western clothes were banned
- European personnel were replaced with Zairians that were employed in roles where they did not have the required expertise (caused a drop in production levels)
What are the main aspects of Congolese history after decolonization
- Period immediately after decolonization was characterized by instability and uncertainty resulting in the death of Lumumba
- Congo suffered during Cold War because it was the centre of conflict between USA and USSR
- Mobutu ruled for more than 30 years
- He was overthrown and Zaire was renamed Democratic Republic of Congo but conflict still hampers development in the Congo
