The Names Part Two
Elections in the DR Congo took a turn yesterday when one candidate sent tanks and troops to the home of the first runner up in the hopes of blowing his brains out. The object of this attention was holed up with more than a dozen foreign ambassadors including MONUC officials from the UN. A runoff is scheduled for October and it should be noted that over 70% of eligible voters cast ballots. Joseph Kabila is in the lead: his father, Laurent, overthrew Joseph Mobutu several years ago. Laurent Kabila was assassinated after he refused to honor pledges to the troops who fought for independence, choosing to import soldiers from the Great Lakes Coalition as a palace guard. The DR Congo used to be called Zaire and before that, the Belgian Congo. This is the first free election since independence in 1963.
When Mobutu was overthrown troops from the provinces entered the capital, Kinshasa, their first trip to a modern city. They rode elevators up and down in the city’s hotels while Mobutu slipped across the Congo River to exile in the ROC, the Republic of Congo. Mobutu’s sons drove around collecting gambling debts that night before they too escaped. Mobutu pere made off with a few billion dollars in American aid money, funds we have never been able to locate. We want our money back. Consider it a refund.
Kdogos are boys forced into military service by various armed factions. They are rounded up in refugee camps and given weapons along with an amulet to signify their status. Needless to say the atmosphere in the Congo has been dangerous for women and girls with shifting groups of soldiers and militia controlling towns and villages. Weapons are modern and plentiful, unlike most things. Let’s hope this election brings the Congolese people some peace after more than a decade of institutional insanity.