Congolese Crisis

perhaps (You seek the article relating to the First war of Congo, 1996-7, or that relating to the Second war of Congo, 1998-2002)

The Congolese Crise (1960-1965) was one period of disorders during the First republic of the democratic Congo, which began with national independence against the supervision from the Belgium, and finishes with the seizure of power of Joseph Mobutu. The crisis took various forms, of which anti-colonial fights, interethnic confrontations, a war secessionist with the province of the Katanga, an operation of Maintien of peace of the the United Nations, and a Cold war when the country was used as theater with the fights of influences between the the United States and the Union of the Soviet socialist republics. Two important disappearances will mark this crisis: the Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, assassinated in 1961, and that of the General secretary of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld, deceased in an air crash.

Context

Before the establishment of the First republic in 1960, the Congolese elites had formed of the organizations semi-policies which gradually constituted in real political parties militant for independence. These organizations generally had as a base one of these three origins: ethnic community, community of studies, urban Intellectualism. Most important of these organizations was the Alliance of Bakongo (ABAKO), founded in 1950, which was a founded ethnic association to promote the interests and the language of the Bakongo (or Kongo). The ABAKO, directed by Joseph Kasa-Vubu during the crisis, was with the head of the most insistent requests for independence and the federalism. Other less known organizations were Liboke lya Bangala, which defended the ethnos groups close to the Bangala, and the Fédékaléo - which included/understood people originating in the Kasaï. The latter was divided by after into various smaller organizations. Although these organizations defended of the interests resulting from the provinces, they were however based with Léopoldville, one of the reasons to be of their creation being the need for maintaining bonds between the groups of origin and the many immigrants in the capital.

Other groups were various Alumni associations - whose members recruited themselves among the former students of the Congolese Catholic schools. Many political directors came from these associations, whose networks were extremely developed.

The third origin of these political groups was the Cercles , of associations which developed in the Congolese cities, which had the ambition to develop solidarity between the advanced (educated elites). According to Patrice Lumumba, the leader of the circles of Stanleyville, the circles were created for " to develop the intellectual, social, moral formation and physique" the advanced ones.

The 30 years plan

At the beginning of the Years 1950, Belgium was gradually pressurized to transform the Belgian Congo into a sovereign state. Belgium had indeed signed article 73 of the Charte of the United Nations, which encouraged the self-determination of the people, and the super powers also pushed with a revision of the Staff Regulations of Congo. The Belgian governments did not venture however more in this direction. However, the professor A.J. Van Bilsen published in 1955 a study entitled Plan 30 years for the political emancipation of Belgian Africa . The duration awaited for the course of this plan, was the duration which discounted Van Bilsen for the training and the installation of local elites able to ensure the management of the State. The Belgian government and of many advanced was skeptics in connection with this plan, the first cooled by the prospect to give up the country, and the seconds by the importance of the duration of this transition. A group of advanced catholic answered however positively this plan by a proclamation published in a Congolese newspaper, the African Conscience , the only disputed point being the weakness of the local participation in the installation of this plan. Ethnic association ABAKO decided to take its marks with regard to this plan, partly because of the fact that number of these advanced catholic was not ethnic origin Bakongo whose ABAKO defended the interests, but also because it defended of the more radical positions, and less gradual as for the end of colonialism. The ABAKO required the immediate installation of an independent capacity for Congo.

Independence

As from 1955, Belgium took the initiative to decolonize Congo, independence were envisaged between 1980 and 2000 but the independence of the French colonies and the riots of January 4th, 1959 accelerated this process. During a Roundtable of Brussels, independence was fixed at June 30th, 1960. In 75 years of colonization, Belgium had not trained only one academic and there were only some Congoleses who had finished the studies secondaires.
June 29th, 1960, an attempt to proclaim the independence of Katanga was thwarted by the secret services belges.
The independence of the République of Congo (Congo-Léopoldville) was proclaimed the June 30th 1960, with Joseph Kasa-Vubu as President and Patrice Lumumba like Prime Minister. The country shared its name with that of the République of Congo in the west, a French colony having gained its independence in 1960 also, and they were distinguished by the name from their capital, Congo (Léopoldville) and Congo (Brazzaville).

Course of the crisis

The first republic

Mutinies

In spite of the proclamation of political independence, the new State had only few national officers, and of the foreign officers remained in place pending the formation of the national elites. The July 5th 1960, the army (the Police force ) based near Léopoldville mutina against the white officers and attacked various European targets. There were many exactions, of which murder and rapes. This caused great concern, because: 100000 Europeans lived in Congo, the majority in the capital, and this event broke the credibility of the new government which was unable to control its own army.

This led immediately to an military intervention in Congo by the Belgium to ensure the safety of its citizens. The return of the Belgian military forces was a clear violation of the National sovereignty of the new state, the assistance of Belgium not having been required.

Secession of Katanga

The southernmost province of the Katanga, rich in ores of any nature, declared its independence. Its leader, Brace Tshombe, was an enemy of long time of Patrice Lumumba. Tshombe was a close relation of the industrial companies and mines which exploited in particular in the province the Cuivre, the Or and the Uranium, and which feared to see disappearing the source even from their existence, because he believed that Lumumba was going to nationalize the mines of the country. Without Katanga, Congo saw its amputated economy.

Tshombe proclaimed, on July 11th, the independence of Katanga and was proclaimed, itself, consequently occasion, president of the new State. Katangais of origin (Lunda, Minungu, Basonge…) started immediately, under the aegis of Tshombe and Godefroid Munongo, to persecute Katangais of origin kasaïenne, those was killed or expelled with the Kasaï in particular in the town of Bakwanga (today Mbuji-Mayi).

The assassination of Lumumba

Sixty-seven days after its takeover, Patrice Lumumba was dislocated by President Joseph Kasa-Vubu. Lumumba, in its turn, vainly tried to relieve Kasa-Vubu. Lumumba was consequently placed under house arrest with the residence of the Prime Minister.

Lumumba then decided to escape. It left its residence hidden in the diplomatic car of a visitor, it took the road in direction of Stanleyville. Joseph Mobutu, to the head of the army, launched its troops to its continuation. Lumumba finally was caught up with whereas it crossed the river Sankuru, and was captured by soldiers faithful to Mobutu.

Lumumba called the local troops of the United Nations to its help. This one refused to come to him to assistance on order of the command of New York. It was initially brought to Léopoldville, where it was beaten and humiliated in front of journalists and diplomats.

Other ill treatments followed to the villa of Mobutu. The Prime Minister elected was beaten in front of the television cameras. Lumumba was then transferred to Thysville, with 150 kilometers of Léopoldville with two of its ministers Okito and Mpolo

The Belgians decided on a more brutal exit by telegraph, by delivering Lumumba to its worst enemy, the President of Katanga Moïse Tshombe. The telegram said: “It is necessary to deliver Satan to the Jew”. Lumumba and its ministers were also beaten during the flight which took them along to Élisabethville the January 17th 1961. It were delivered to the Katangais soldiers , and led to the Villa Brouwe where Tschombe and its ministers awaited it, those slapped them and spit to them with the face. They were kept and maltreated on several occasions. After that President Tshombe and his cabinet ruled on their fate.

The same night, Lumumba was taken along in savanna out of the city. The convoy stopped beside a large tree. Three firing squads had been also brought, ordered by a Belgian officer. Another Belgian officer ordered the firing squad. Lumumba and two of his/her companions resulting from the government were aligned against the tree and were carried out. President Tschombe and two of his ministers attended the successive executions. The body of the three individuals was then cut of pieces, was soaked in acid and was burned.

Nothing was known as during three weeks, even if the rumor of their death were propagated quickly. The death of Lumumba was announced on a radio katangaise, and was disguised under a not very plausible history including an escape and an assassination by villagers except control.

Mobutu and the Second republic

In 1965, Joseph Mobutu seized the power with the agreement of the Western countries, which saw it like a rampart against the Communisme in Africa. It founded a sole party, other than all other political trainings.

At that time, Che Guevara arrived at Congo. Che was placed under the command of the young person Laurent-Desired Kabila who operated in the area of Fizi, which seized the power later some 30 years. According to Che Guevara, its Congolese adventure was a fiasco, and it turned over quickly to Cuba.

During three decades following, Mobutu was with the head of the one of the hardest, corrupted and dictatorial modes African.

Although the country is rich in natural resources as copper gold and diamonds, most of the population continued to live in poverty. But Mobutu piled up a personal fortune estimated at 5 billion dollars.

After having changed the name of the area in Zaire in 1971, Mobutu continued the purgings of the remainders of colonialism. In addition to changing the name of the area and much of cities, more big industries were nationalized. Many people eliminated their Western name.

Cold War waned in the early 1990s, so did Western support for Mobutu. In light off allegations off human rights deceive and crawling corruption, Belgium, France and the United States all suspended military and financial assistance to the mode. --> As the economic situation and policy worsened, Kabila, once again, began a military movement starting from the east of Zaire in October 1996 to deposit it. As the rebellion advanced, to overcome it, Mobutu returned from Europe where it followed a medical care.

But in May, with its mode in the drag, Mobutu flees with the Togo and then with the Morocco. The France refused its stay for medical care. Less than four months after the beginning of its exile, Mobutu died in September 1997 in Morocco.

External bonds

synopsis One-page off the conflict broken into furnace phases from MIT
List off resources one the interventions compiled by the US Air Force
U.S. State Department central files
Republic off Congo Post-Independence War

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