Congo: Land of riches beset by massive exploitation

DW (English)

Despite its vast mineral wealth, the Democratic Republic of Congo's riches remain elusive to most of its people. Colonialism, rebels and corrupt leaders have perpetuated exploitation and corruption for decades.

Transcript

00:00We need to talk about the silent genocide happening in Congo.

00:03The exploitation of Congolese people has changed the media's standbys and the media is

00:07also a part of it. The things I saw there were so appalling and I thought people need to know

00:12about this. Hold up. When we talk about Congo's exploitation, where does it really begin?

00:18Let's start with when Belgium entered the chat. Under King Leopold II,

00:23Belgium controlled vast resources like rubber, copper and ivory. This was the colonial era

00:29which introduced reckless exploitation of both people and nature. Millions lost their lives to

00:35slavery, forced labour, disease and famine. But in 1960, there was a chance for a new start.

00:41This was when the DRC gained independence and had its first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba,

00:47who envisioned a country that would use its natural resources to benefit its own people.

00:52But just months after independence, he was overthrown, captured and executed in a coup

00:58backed by Belgium and the CIA. One of the issues that has constantly plagued the Democratic

01:03Republic of Congo has been political instability and chronic mismanagement by successive governments.

01:09Leaders that followed continued the cycle of exploitation and corruption,

01:13from Joseph Mobutu to Laurent Kabila and his son Joseph Kabila. The DRC's mineral wealth

01:19was sold off to foreign investors at laughably low prices. Everyone wanted a piece of the cake,

01:26from international countries to its neighbours. Currently, over 100 armed groups like the M23

01:32and the FDLR seek control in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. You have a country that is effectively

01:39one of the richest countries in the world, certainly the wealthiest country in Africa,

01:45with all kinds of resources that you can imagine, some of which have not even been discovered.

01:50Exploitation by Belgium and later DRC's own leaders set the stage for decades-long conflict

01:56and violence. To ensure a better, brighter future,

02:00the power of the country's resources must be given back to the Congolese people.

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