Kisangani

Kisangani , in the past Stanleyville (according to Henry Morton Stanley), is a Ville of the Democratic republic of Congo in Africa Centrale. It is the capital of the province Orientale.

With a surface comparable with that of the Spain (503 289 km) and a population estimated at less than eight million inhabitants (7 619.845 inhabitants), the Eastern Province is largest of the eleven provinces which account the DRC.

Kisangani is located at the place where the river Lualaba takes the name of Congo, in the north of the Chutes Boyoma. The city extends from the Congo river to the river Tshopo. It is the most remote place which one can reach by boat by going up the river since Kinshasa. One speaks there mainly French and Swahili, but also Lingala.

History

Henry Morton Stanley founded the station of the Stanley falls in December 1883, on an island of the Congo, close to current Kisangani. It left there Mr Binnie, a Engineer and a Scottish , charged to establish commercial relations with the natives and to represent the State independent of Congo. A little later the slave originating ones in Zanzibar, generally incorrectly called “Arabs” by Europeans of the time (in fact of the bantous swahilis Islamized), reached the Stanley falls. The relations between the representatives of the State independent of Congo and these slave “Arabic” were degraded, and the station was abandoned after confrontations in 1887. In 1888, the State independent of Congo restores a sovereignty by naming Tippo Tip, one of principal slave of Zanzibar, as governor ( Wali ) of the district of the Stanley Falls. From 1890 to 1893, it is the nephew of Tippo Tip Rachid bin Mohammed which will occupy this function. The resident of the EIC will be at the same time Haneuse (1888 - 1889) then Tobback (1889 - 1893).

The State independent of Congo definitively conquers the city during the Guerre against Arabo-Swahilis in June 1892.

In 1961, Antoine Gizenga take the head of a government secessionist of that of Kinshasa in Slanleyville.

In 1964, the city is occupied by the warriors Simba who take the population as an hostage. Stanleyville is taken again during the red Opération Dragon carried out by the 1st regiment paracommando of the Belgian army.

In 1999, Kisangani was the theater of the first exchanges of gunfire between the Uganda and the Rwanda (episode known as of the war 3 day old, 15 with the August 17th 1999), consecutive at the end of the antigovernment coalition of the Congolese Rassemblement for the Democracy (RCD) in two factions based with Kisangani and Goma. The engagements also related to the mines of Diamant S located near the city. This one currently remains in the zone of influence of the RCD- Goma. Many a Rape S, massacres and war crimes was perpetrated there between 1996 and 2003 by the troops of the rebellious generals of the RCD, primarily the general Nkundabatware.

Economy

Victim of three wars which opposed the armies Rwandan and Ugandan between 1999 and 2000, the town of Kisangani carry the not very enviable nickname of “martyrdom city”. Taking into account its geographical position, Kisangani is the point of departure and of terminus of the river traffic between the East and the West. From this strategic position, this city continues to play an important economic role and should be able to play a central role in the economic revival and the development Democratic republic of Congo.

The population of Kisangani seems taken with the trap of the Pauvreté. All the exits end in dead ends. To survive, much devote themselves to the artisanal exploitation of the mines or of the careers where often only one labor is exploited which is sold off, so much competition is large. To preserve this thin pre square, some defend their territory by the weapons, which re-engages the spiral of violence.

To escape this vicious circle, the majority of these populations is folded back on an agriculture of subsistence. However, because of their enclavement due to the conflicts, the absence of roads or the massive presence of anti-personnel mines, these peasants do not manage to run out their agricultural productions and thus sink in a cycle of poverty.

Demography

Education

University of Kisangani

Sport

The urban Agreement of football of Kisangani deals with the matches of Football in Kisangani. The football teams are TS Malekesa and CS Makiso.

The city counts several stages, in particular the stage Lumumba, the Stade of the Market and the stage of the royal Athenaeum.

See Too

Anne-Sylvie Mouzon

External bonds

Towns of RD Congo: Kisangani, MONUC
detailed Chart of Kisangani

References

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