2006-09-04 09:19:02 · 7 answers · asked by SimplyMe 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees fleeing the Rwandan Genocide. The government of Mobutu Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila in May 1997; he changed the country's name back to Democratic Republic of The Congo-Kinshasa. His former allies soon turned against him, however, and his regime was challenged by a Rwandan and Ugandan-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the new regime in Kinshasa. See Foreign relations of Congo and First Congo War.
A cease-fire was signed on July 10, 1999; nevertheless, fighting continued apace especially in the eastern part of the country, financed by revenues from the illegal extraction of minerals such as coltan, cassiterite and diamonds. Kabila was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph Kabila was named head of state. The new president quickly began overtures to end the war and an accord was signed in South Africa in 2002. By late 2003, a fragile peace prevailed as the Transitional Government was formed. Kabila appointed four vice presidents, two of whom had been fighting to oust him until July 2003. Much of the east of the country remains insecure, primarily due to the Ituri conflict and the continued activity of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda in the Kivus.
This period of conflict has been the bloodiest in history since World War II. Almost four million people have died as a result of the fighting.
On July 30, 2006 the Congo held its first multi-party elections since independence in 1960. After this Joseph Kabila took 45% of the votes and his main opponent Jean-Pierre Bemba took 20%. That was the origin of a two-day fight between the two factions from August 20, 2006 in the streets of the capital, Kinshasa. Sixteen people died before police and the UN mission, MONUC, took control of the city. A second round of elections between the two leading candidates, Kabila and Bemba, will be held on 29 October, 2006.
2006-09-04 09:32:10 · answer #1 · answered by Andy S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1 - It's way, way to complicated to explain here.
2 - Supporting the UN effort to get the war in the East to stop, to complete the transition to democratic rule through proper elections, and to get third parties to butt out of the Democratic Republic of Congo and it's affairs.
2006-09-04 16:23:42 · answer #2 · answered by Walter Ridgeley 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's a dirty election and people are killing each other over it. I think the US so far is doing nothing. We've got our own fish to fry at the moment, why doesn't the UN ever do it's job? Weren't they supposed to be the cops to the world? You can't even get any of those jokers to back up their own resolutions, how many UN boots have been put on Lebanese soil so far, a couple hundred? Please.
2006-09-04 16:30:41 · answer #3 · answered by josephine 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just an everyday story of genocide - and it's not Americas fault.
2006-09-04 16:56:24 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there was a war going on there but the US is not in it. there are books about it and you might want to check on Amazon for the war in congo.
Here is the site on it: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br_ss_hs/104-3999704-5855144?platform=gurupa&url=index%3Dblended&keywords=Bukavu&Go.x=8&Go.y=9
2006-09-04 16:21:46 · answer #5 · answered by loretta 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
don't know what happening there .but rest sure that the USA don't even care .that a dam shame
2006-09-04 16:35:38 · answer #6 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why should we do anything about it? And what is it we're supposed to do something about?
2006-09-04 17:05:39 · answer #7 · answered by kristycordeaux 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋