People of Congo have suffered the slavery system and two genocides based on economic reasons. Between 1885 and 1908, ten million Congolese lost their lives during the Congo Free State era under the reign of the Belgian King Leopold II for rubber, copper and diamonds exploitation - many survived with hands severed.
In this new book by Dr. George Alula, The Ignored Economic Genocide, it points out that Congo went through thirty-two years of dictatorship under President Mobutu Sese Seko – US friend and cold war partner.
To end with this dictatorship, United States backed a rebellion war that will bring Laurent Desire Kabila to power by using military force from Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. In June 1998, that same alliance broke. Congo’s president decided to return foreigner combatant back home. On August 2, 1998, Rwanda and Uganda decided to invade Congo and occupy the Eastern region rich in mineral and natural resources: diamonds, gold, coltan, timbers…
Successive rebellion wars cost six million of Congolese’s lives in ten years - as much as the Jewish people paid during the World War II with Adolph Hitler and the NAZI system. This second Congolese genocide is happening in a deafening silence despite the largest UN peacekeeping force of MONUC with 17,000 people. The world lacks the courage to condemn; yesterday’s victims (Tutsis) became also ‘genocidaires’ of their neighboring country. Congolese women have been raped in a level never reached in the human history. Sex has been used as a weapon.
To provide its minerals in the international market to the Congo’s clients, the international community doesn’t need to team up with population killers. DRC was disorganized with the way Mobutu’s dictatorship ended in confusion. New generation has come with a new leadership that may secure the supply of Congo’s natural resources in line with the international standard defined by the Organization Economic Development of Commerce (OECD).
This enlightening book tends to show how an economic disaster created by this genocide is taking massive lives of the Congolese people. Justice is sought to bring peace in the African Great Lake region. Read on to The Ignored Economic Genocide and see how we can make a difference.
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