Book Review on The Congo-Zaire Experience 1960-98 - Essay Example

5th October 2006 Book Review on The Congo-Zaire Experience 1960-98 The chaotic struggle in central Africa and the political history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is chronicled in Edgar O’Ballance’s book The Congo-Zaire Experience 1960-98. Throughout the book there is the underlying theme of a totalitarian mentality dominant both from the side of the colonizers and local war lords, struggling for personal and tribal power through any means possible, particularly through violence. O’Ballance indicates that in a totalitarian run state, corruption is rampant and the centre tries to regulate almost all aspects of public life and the state’s economy. The regime maintains their political power as a single-party-state and its authority allows it to use the police and army in any way it chooses. Propaganda through widespread word of mouth, the removal of items that indicate foreign or opposing religious influence are all a part of the need to control in the most supreme way. The only people to benefit from the aid and money supplied to help the nation are those in the upper hierarchy who through their actions curtail the socio-economic development of the nation, often depriving the poor of much needed food and other amenities. Peaceful dialogue is seldom seen as achieving much in the resolution of conflict and a dominant brute mentality is that of suppression of justice and human rights. O’Ballance describes how European colonizers viewed the Congo as having lucrative economic potential with vast mineral deposits and rubber plantations. Starting with the King of the Belgians, Leopold II, who attempted to establish his authority and lay claim over the Congo, the region had witnessed only domination and exploitation by foreigners. This totalitarian state of mind was witnessed as early as King Leopold who declared himself as head of the Congo Free State while maintaining the boundaries in the region. The Belgian government helped Leopold develop the Congo by providing funds in return for annexing the state after 1901. After the Congo fell under Belgian rule, negative practices such as forced labor were reduced and economic development such as construction of rail roads was commenced. Many of the local natives were employed for the labor work with their European masters managing the operations. Mining became a mainstay for much of the population and small towns were set up to accommodate the workers. The Africans moved away from the countryside into the urban areas that had greater employment potential. Christian missionaries made efforts to uplift the poor uneducated Africans but it was only from the 1950’s onwards that the Africans were given access to education. Religious movements gained some momentum but leaders were jailed as the Belgians became fearful that their authority would be destabilized. The first signs of an Independence movement began in 1955 when similar sentiments gained acceptance throughout Africa. There was a demand for increased self government by some quarters and when a 30 year plan in this regard was proposed, it was accepted by the Belgians. After the then French president Charles de Gaulle visited Middle Congo and offered the Congolese an option to either be completely independent of France or continue to associate with the colonial rulers, Congolese nationalists notably Patrice Lumumba strove towards gaining independence. On June 30th 1960, Belgian Congo became independent and Lumumba elected Prime Minister and Kasavubu the head of state. However peaceful times were short lived as ethnic clashes threatened to break apart the Republic of Congo. With provinces such as Katanga declaring independence and attacks against Belgian nationals who would later flee the country, the government at the centre lost its grip on the nation. Other provinces such as Kwilu, Kivu and Katanaga which were under central government control were also descending into lawlessness. After president Kasavubu drafted a new constitution that declared that the president would stand in office for a 5 year term, he decreased the power of the Central Assembly and Prime Minister. On June 1964 he sacked Lumumba as Prime Minister and dissolved the Central Assembly with the aid of the army commander General Mobutu, then took command of the army (O’Ballance p.68). At the time when political turmoil was prevalent in the Congo, the cold war between the US and Soviet Union was manifesting itself in all parts of the world. And this was the case in the Congo. It was discovered that of the numerous opposition parties, one of them, the National Liberation Committee (NLC) was in alliance with the Soviets who secretly dropped armaments to help the NLC incite revolt, plan assignations and destabilize the central government and the local economy (O’Ballance p.69). The Chinese were also involved in the training of NLC soldiers. The spread of communist influence forced the United States to supply aid to the central government of Congo. When President Kasavubu realized the futility of fighting the NLC, he tried to unite them with his government. He installed Tshombe, one of his senior aids, as Prime Minister. Tshombe included some NLC leaders in the government and released political prisoners including Antoine Ginzenga who disapproved the government’s use of force against the rebels who had grown substantially in number. President Kasavubu requested western assistance to curb the growing threat of the rebels. The US sent military aid but counter moves by the NLC taking American hostages turned the situation increasingly volatile. In 1965, General Mobutu initiated a coup to overthrow the president and gain control of the Congo. After putting Kasavubu under house arrest and declaring void the elections of 1966, he tried to gain confidence of the US by condemning Communism. Totalitarian mentality set in soon after when Mobutu installed himself as the head of state. He crushed all opposition, dealt with the rebels in the Congo, thwarted assassination attempts and censored the press. He launched a policy of “Africanization” of his country by ordering his citizens to change their Christian names to African and renaming foreign worded places with African names. He shut down schools, deported foreigners and renamed the Congo as Zaire (O’Ballance p.107). He even changed the constitution to substitute Christianity with his own self created religion ‘Mobutism’. The eradication of signs of Christianity continued with the replacing of the crucifixes with Mobutu’s portrait. In a fashion similar to the recently dethroned Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Mobutu elevated his own status by building palaces and statues of himself. He used the military and intelligence agencies to his own ends, often eliminating dissent from his nation. He had scant respect for human rights and his supreme rule cultivated the seeds of corruption. No job could be done until authorities were bribed; arrests were indiscriminate and very little international aid went to those who needed it the most. The nation was one of the most lawless and poorest in Africa but Mobutu’s wealth surpassed many of the rich in wealthier nations. The end of the Mobutu era began in the 1990’s when rival tribal groups clashed in neighboring Rawanda. Hutu soldiers started killing the Tutsi’s who struck back driving the Hutu’s out of Rawanda and into Zaire’s Banyamulenge territory. The leader of this territory was Laurent Kabila who resisted the incursion of the Hutus and attacked them as well as Zaire’s army. Kabila managed to drive the Hutus back into Rawanda and by 1996 he took control of certain towns in Zaire. Mobutu felt the threat of Kabila’s advancing army but could do little and soon lost half of Zaire to Kabila. In 1997 as Kabila’s take over of Zaire became imminent, Mobutu fled Zaire and Kabila became president of the country with support from Zaire’s army. Once Kabila took office, he formed a government and set about trying to rebuild Zaire which he renamed back to Congo. With Mobutu out of office, it seemed the totalitarian regime had ended and Congo would begin a phase of revival. But discriminatory moves by Kabila, first firing James Kabarere - his chief of staff who was a Rwandan Tutsi, and then ordering Tutsi soldiers to leave the Congo threatened to spin the situation out of control. Retaliation by the Tutsis who captured certain areas, scared Kabila who sought UN help. But assistance was not forth-coming and fearful of another Tutsi invasion Kabila began slaughtering any Tutsi’s that were found. With the US supplying aid and military intelligence to the Tutsi rebels who were making advances in their military campaign, Kabila’s defeat seemed inevitable. He launched counterattacks against Rawanda and Uganda and finally received support by the way of troops from Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola. Fighting continued with the US using its military might against Kabila. He was assassinated in 2001, but reports differ on exactly how it happened. One version says his bodyguard shot him while another says he was killed by one of his soldiers. Kabila’s successor was Joseph Kabila, his son who currently holds the post of president of the Congo. O’Ballances book gives an example of a totalitarian regime operating at its worst. There are numerous examples of totalitarianism throughout the previous century and all share similar traits – forceful take over of sovereignty and the exercising of power over all aspects of national life in order to sustain hold of the nation at the expense of the livelihoods of its citizens. In addition, the suppression of opposition and disregard for human rights, while hijacking the country’s finance for personal gain, are all key features of totalitarianism. References O’Ballance, Edgar.  The Congo-Zaire Experience, 1960-1998.  New York:  St. Martin’s, 2000 Read More