News About Congo

Heart of Diamonds -- A New Book about Congo

I heard the author speak about his book, Heart of Diamonds.  I have not read the book.  Although it is fictional story, the author has a very good understanding of Congo's history and current struggle.

Oak Library Explores Congo

The world’s worst humanitarian crisis continues unabated, according to Dave Donelson, the author of Heart of Diamonds a newly-released novel about the endless violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  Donelson will be discussing the war-torn country in a presentation at the John C. Hart Memorial Library in Shrub Oak, NY, Sunday, March 22, at 2 PM.

Donelson says his fictional treatment of the Congo’s ongoing strife points to lust for the nation’s riches as the cause of over five million deaths since 1998.

“We shouldn’t even pretend that conflicting ideologies or ethnic rivalries are the causes of this crisis,” Donelson says.  “Those are nothing more than convenient excuses for the looting and pillaging that threatens to destroy the DRC.”

In his novel, Donelson uses a diamond smuggling scheme to represent the fight for control of the DRC’s gold, timber, uranium, copper, coltan, and other natural resources.  An intricate plot involving an American televangelist, the President of the DRC, and the White House reflects the convoluted relationships of the factions involved in the struggle.  His heroine, Valerie Grey, is a TV journalist who uncovers the scheme and fights to expose it to the world.

“Heart of Diamonds is a work of fiction,” Donelson avers, “But it is based on actual events in the most deadly conflict since World War II.”  The author says he drew heavily on news accounts of rape as a weapon of terror, child soldiers, widespread corruption at all levels of government, and the very sad plight of the hundreds of thousands of refugees from the violence that continues to wrack the nation.

Donelson is a freelance writer and photographer.  His presentation will include readings from Heart of Diamonds, a display of photographs he took in Central Africa while researching the book, and a discussion of current developments in the ongoing strife.

“Since I started writing the book, there have been glimmers of hope in the situation,” he points out.  “But violence continues and hundreds of thousands of people are still suffering as refugees.  Peace and prosperity are still a long way away.”  He adds, “I hope Heart of Diamonds will help draw attention to the crisis.”

Heart of Diamonds was published by Kunati Books, named Independent Publisher of the Year at the 2008 Book Expo America.

Hutu Rebels Resume Their Attacks

Hutu rebels strike back after Rwandan army return home.  It did not take the long for the Hutu rebels to resume their attacks.

 

Hutu rebel attacks displace 30,000 in DR Congo: UN

Renewed attacks by Rwandan Hutu rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's Nord-Kivu province have left nearly 30,000 people displaced in a fortnight, the UN refugees agency said Friday.

The attacks mark a retaliation by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels after a joint offensive by the Congolese and Rwandan forces to disarm the Hutu militia.

"Newly displaced families in the Lubero area report that FDLR raids increased during the first half of March, along with growing human rights violations," said Ron Redmond, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Further south in the Nord-Kivu town of Masisi, the FLDR killed at least three civilians on Sunday.

Local authorities meanwhile report that "villagers are fleeing in all directions following FDLR attacks on 16 March" on a town about 75 kilometres (45 miles) south of Masisi, said Redmond.

Since mid-January over 160,000 civilians have been displaced by the FDLR attacks, said the UNHCR.

The UN on Wednesday condemned both the army and rebels for atrocities against local civilians in territories under their control.

The Mission in Eastern Congo is Clear, but How?

How do you “put an end to the presence of armed groups, but also to put discipline into the heart of security forces”?  That's what needs to happen in eastern Congo to end the sexual violence.

DR Congo: militias must go, but security forces need discipline, says UN envoy

In order to end the sexual violence plaguing the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), it is necessary to stop the activity of armed groups but also to ensure security forces have strong discipline, the top United Nations envoy there said today.

Responding to a group of women victims of such violence as he continued to assess the humanitarian situation in North Kivu province, Alan Doss, Special Representative of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the DRC, voiced the need to “put an end to the presence of armed groups, but also to put discipline into the heart of security forces.”

The Security Council has asked the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC) to prioritize the stabilization of the eastern provinces and the protection of civilians there.

Fierce fighting of recent months, involving various militia groups and the national army (FARDC), has displaced some 250,000 civilians on top of 800,000 uprooted in earlier violence.

Kenya and Congo Sign Trade Agreement

Trade is a good thing.  Trade with Congo is better. 

Kenya set to sign trade agreement with DRC

Kenya will sign a bilateral trade agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo next month, signalling the country’s intention to deepen trade relations with African countries.

The new deal is expected to shore up Kenya’s exports to the country, marking  Kenya’s  first major trade salvo into a Francophone African country.

The agreement will largely focus on non-tariff barrier issues because the two countries are members of the Comesa trading bloc and cannot therefore have a free trade area agreement.

Tackling non-tariff barriers will mean Kenyan products will be cleared faster at the ports and entry visas may be abolished, among other benefits. Comesa is structured as a free trade area and therefore takes care of all tariff issues like import duties among its 19 members.

A Time to Celebrate and Unlift the Congo in Indiana

Congratulations to Indiana Region of the Disciples of Christ!  I pray your partnership grows stronger.  Be a blessing to the people of Bandundu.

Region Announces Partnership Week in Week

The Indiana Region and Mbandaka District (Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC) of the Disciples of Christ have designated the third week in May to celebrate the first anniversary of the signing of the Partnership Agreement on May 25, 2008, in Mbandaka, DRC.

Congo Partnership Week will be observed May 17-24.  The Region sees the week as an opportunity for all Indiana churches to lift up the partnership. Several options for lifting up the partnership are possible.

Refugees From Congo Cause Unexpected Humanitarian Challenges

Poor and frighten refugees are on the move again.  This time, they are fleeing Congo going into southern Sudan.

Refugee numbers huge after military operations against Congo rebels

The joint military operation launched against rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in December by Ugandan, Congolese and southern Sudanese troops has created serious and unexpected humanitarian challenges in southern Sudan.

During a press briefing today (13 March) in Juba, UN Deputy Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande said that the refugee influx from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the overall humanitarian situation might not improve in the near future.
 
"The joint operation which was launched in December by the Ugandan Southern Sudanese and Congo armed forces against the LRA: The key message is there have been serious and, let me be frank, and unexpected humanitarian consequences."

The LRA attacks against civilians in the DRC and southern Sudan have caused large-scale displacement among populations living near the international border between Sudan and the DRC. Over 100,000 people in Western and Central Equatoria states are affected, according to Grande.

Lise Grande Deputy Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator: "Here is the problem: The numbers are getting too big, conditions are now sliding, we are worried about this."

Another Discovery of a Rich Diamond Deposit in Congo

Congo is a country rich in minerals.  But most its people live in extreme poverty. 

A diamond deposit may have been discovered Tshipaka located in the south west Kasai Occidental (West Kasai).  Tshipaka is located about 125 miles southwest of Bulape toward the Angola border. 

East Kasai (Oriental) is currently known for diamonds.

 

 

 

 

BRC DiamondCore May Lose Diamond Mining Licenses

Miningmx reports that JSE-listed diamond firm BRC DiamondCore may lose its South African diamond mining licenses due to dissension with unions regarding the retrenchment of 200 diamond mine workers.

According to reports, the diamond company reportedly discovered an important kimberlite discovery in the Democratic Republic of Congo six months ago. Miningmx maintains that BRC has yet to inform its shareholders about the find.

The discovery is thought to be connected to diamond geologist Mike de Witt's search for the source of the rich alluvial diamond deposits in southwest DRC, called Tshikapa.

BRC DiamondCore has focused on the area due to its strong potential to yield rare diamondiferous kimberlite deposits.

Congo with $24 Trillion in Mineral Wealth BUT still Poor

Congo has the resources to develop itself.  Here's a recipe for development.  Just stop the fighting then add some democracy, knowledge, and transparency.

Blood mobile phones fan DRC’s murderous conflict

According to last month’s edition of African Business magazine, the total mineral wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is estimated to be $24 trillion – equivalent to the GDP of Europe and the United States combined.

The DRC has the world’s largest reserves of cobalt and significant quantities of the world’s diamonds, gold and copper. This makes the DRC potentially the richest country in the world.

But this central African country has been ranked among the poorest and most underdeveloped countries on this planet.

A recent report aired on the BBC talked of a campaign to stop the production of what can be termed as “blood mobile phones”.

The DRC’s coltan has been identified as one of the leading causes of the conflict in the eastern part of the country, and attempts are being made to ensure that mobile phone manufacturers stop using coltan that is sourced there.

Of course, it is highly unlikely that DRC will emerge as a developed country once the fighting stops.

A Lesson From Effective Parenting Helps Eastern Congo

In the troubled eastern Congo region, joint military action is a new thing.  Rwanda and Congo were encouraged to work together. 

Their joint operation was like parents working together against unruly children.  But as with children, sustained and long-term action is needed to change their behavior.

Rwandan leader says rebels in Congo severely weakened

The backbone of Rwandan rebels in Congo has been broken in a joint military action by Kigali and Kinshasa, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said, but stressed more action was needed.

 

"On the military level, we have broken the backbone of the FDLR more or less in Nord-Kivu, much to the relief of the local population," he said, referring to a restive region in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo.

In an interview to the Paris-based Jeune Afrique weekly due to appear on Monday, Kagame hailed the joint military offensive by the Congolese and Rwandan armies against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

"This shows that Rwanda and Congo are cooperating ... and this is the most important thing," he said.

Rwandan forces, who entered Congo on January 20, officially returned on February 26, following what they deemed was a successful operation against the FDLR -- whose members include perpetrators of Rwanda's 1994 genocide mainly against minority Tutsis.

Major Road Work Hires Over a Thousand People

Here's the real news: 1,200 people employed to do major road work.  Also, an additional 60 people employed as police officers.

Please note that the road work is probably being done manually without major machinery.  Also, the condition of the work probably required total reconstruction.  That's why you need so many people because the road appears less than 30 miles. 

Work and employment is a good thing to see in the Congo.

UN supports deployment of police to help stabilize eastern DR Congo

Hundreds of newly trained national police officers are being deployed to the strife-torn eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as part of a stabilization plan backed by the United Nations, the world body’s mission there said today.

About 332 Congolese police officers from the Kapalata training centre in Kisangani are being deployed, with the support of the UN mission (MONUC), police and the UN Office for Projects Support (UNOPS), the mission said.

Sixty of these officers will provide security for major road work between the towns of Sake and Masisi, which employs some 1,200 people living along the road.

Road construction was suspended in late August 2008, due to fighting between the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) and the Congolese