Congo Democratic Government Republic

The area known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo was populated as early as 10,000 years ago and settled in the 7th and 8th centuries A.D. by Bantus from present-day Nigeria. Discovered in 1482 by Portuguese navigator Diego Cao and later explored by English journalist Henry Morton Stanley, the area was officially colonized in 1885 as a personal possession of Belgian King Leopold II as the Congo Free State. In 1907, administration shifted to the Belgian Government, which renamed the country the Belgian Congo. Following a series of riots and unrest, the Belgian Congo was granted its independence on June 30, 1960. Parliamentary elections in 1960 produced Patrice Lumumba as prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu as president of the renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo. ... [Read More]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

The war began in August 1998, when Laurent Kabila tried to expel Rwandan military forces that had helped him overthrow Mobutu. Congolese Tutsis as well as the Governments of Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, all relied on the Rwandan military presence for protection against hostile armed groups operating from the eastern part of the country. These groups included: The Interahamwe militia of Hutus, mostly from Rwanda, Hutu members of the former Rwandan armed forces, and other Rwandan Hutu militiaman, some of whom took part in the 1994 genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda and who fought the Tutsi-dominated Government of Rwanda; the Mai Mai, a loose association of traditional Congolese local defense forces, which primarily fought Rwandan government forces and their Congolese allies; the Alliance of Democratic Forces (ADF), made up of Ugandan opposition forces supported by the Government of Sudan, which fought the Government of Uganda but largely was inactive during the year; and several groups of Hutu ... [Read More]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

d. Freedom of Movement Within the Country, Foreign Travel, Emigration, and Repatriation The law provides for freedom of movement; however, the Government at times restricted this right in areas under its control. There were fewer reports of such restrictions during the year. Resolutions adopted as part of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue process in 2001 and the Transition Constitution affirmed the right to free movement of persons and goods in the country, and the Government generally honored this stated commitment during the year. Unlike in previous years, it was not necessary to obtain a routine written document from the Ministry of Interior for travel within government-controlled territory. Movement between areas under central government control and areas not under central government control continued to be hazardous and sometimes impossible, except by U.N. flights and U.N.-accompanied river convoys. Commercial flights between former government-cont ... [Read More]

Congo-Kinshasa

June 24, 2005 This Travel Warning for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) reiterates the Department of State’s warning to U.S. citizens against traveling there in light of recent unrest and the potential for more unrest in the near future.  This Travel Warning supersedes that of March 30, 2005. The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Despite efforts to advance the peace process following t ... [Read More]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

As the war grew into an increasing stalemate, government forces controlled less than half of the country.  Several rebel groups, the Congolese Rally for Democracy based in Goma (RCD/Goma), the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), and the Congolese Rally for Democracy based in Bunia (RCD/ML) controlled the remaining territory, with the active military support of the Rwandan and Ugandan Governments.  The RCD/Goma remained dominated by members of the Tutsi ethnic minority and continued to be supported by the Government of Rwanda; the RCD/ML commanded fewer troops and, like the largely non-Tutsi MLC, was supported by the Government of Uganda.  War broke out in August 1998, when Kabila tried to expel Rwandan military forces that had helped him overthrow Mobutu.  Congolese Tutsis as well as the Governments of Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda all relied on the Rwandan military presence for protection against hostile armed groups operating from the eastern part of the ... [Read More]

Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo Apprehends Genocide Indictee

The United States commends the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the capture of Yusuf Munyakazi and his transfer to the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.  Munyakazi is indicted for genocide for his alleged role as a leader of the Hutu extremist Interahamwe responsible for killing tens of thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda’s Cyangugu prefecture during the genocide in 1994.    [Read More]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is nominally a highly centralized republic with extensive powers vested in President Joseph Kabila, head of a national Transitional Government, which was formed in June 2003 and is composed of former belligerent factions, including representatives from the former government, former rebel groups, civil society, and the political opposition. President Kabila came to power in 2001 after the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire Kabila. There have not been free elections since independence in 1960; however, the Transitional Constitution, which resulted from political negotiations that ended 4 years of war in the country, provides for national general elections in 2005. Elections may be delayed for two 6-month periods with Parliament's approval. Although the law provides for a unified, strong central government, in practice the Government remained divided and weak. The country remained effectively divided into territor ... [Read More]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom in central government-controlled areas during the period covered by this report, and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion. In areas not under central government control, respect for religious freedom improved. Unlike the previous reporting period, there were no confirmed incidents of soldiers or militia members attacking religious leaders or churches. ... [Read More]

Congo-Kinshasa

Though a U.N. observer force is deployed to a number of locations throughout the country, unofficial armed groups and active duty troops operating in some parts of the country are responsible for pillaging, vehicle thefts, carjackings, extra-judicial killings, rapes, kidnappings, ethnic tensions, and continued military/paramilitary operations. The large number of rebel and government soldiers to be decommissioned as a result of the peace process poses another source of potential security concerns. Travelers may be subject to detention and questioning by ill-disciplined security forces. There are numerous military roadblocks throughout the country. While government-imposed curfews are no longer in effect, they could be reinstated upon short notice if the security situation deteriorates. Travelers to the Democratic Republic of the Congo have routinely experienced difficulties at the airport and other ports of entry, being temporarily detained by immigration and security personnel demandi ... [Read More]

Congo Basin Forest Partnership: U.S. Contribution

Monte Alen -- Mont de Cristal Inselbergs Forest Landscape (Equatorial Guinea & Gabon) Gamba -- Conkouati Forest Landscape (Gabon, Congo & (Democratic Republic of Congo) Lope -- Chaillu -- Louesse Forest Landscape (Gabon & Congo) Dja -- Minkebe -- Odzala Tri-national Forest Landscape (Cameroon, Congo & Gabon) Sangha Tri-national Forest Landscape (Cameroon, Congo, (Central African Republic) Lac Tele-Lac Tumba Swamp Forest Landscape (Congo & Democratic Republic of Congo) Bateke Plateau Forest Savanna Landscape (Congo & Gabon) Maringa/Lopori -- Wamba Forest Landscape (Democratic Republic of Congo) Salonga -- Lukenie - Sankuru Forest Landscape (Democratic Republic of Congo) Maik ... [Read More]