congo

Congo is the name applied to two states, the much larger Democratic Republic of Congo (also known as Congo-Kinshasa, after its capital, and formerly known as Zaire) and the Republic of Congo, whose capital is Brazzaville. They are in Central Africa, on either side of the Congo River, with their capitals only a few miles apart.

The Republic of Congo was a French colony until 1960, while the DRC was a personal possession of the Belgian King Leopold II, who oversaw a regime of notable savagery. It was then a colony of the Belgian state from 1908 to 1960, and after independence soon descended into conflict.

Since the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide spilled across its border in 1994 Congo-Kinshasa has endured two invasions and a civil war. After that discord officially ended in 2002, in 2008 an estimated 45,000 people a month were still dying as a result of internal conflict.  Unicef says that one in five children dies before the age of five, and 13 of every thousand pregnancies ends in death for the mother.

by Natalie Bennett Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Original Technorati articles tagged “congo”

• in Travel
  Gorillaland by Greg Cummings
  a compelling and terrifying trip through the heart of Africa
  by wesaidgotravel / on Sep 13, 2012
• in Family
  KidTunes: Songs from the Baobab: African Lullabies & Nursery Rhymes
  Ease baby to sleep with gentle melodies from Central and West Africa.
  by missbobetier / on Nov 2, 2011
• in Technorati Women
  Leadership Lessons: Loosening the Knots of Corruption
  Rape has been a way of life on many parts of this planet.
  by sylvialafairphd / on Feb 23, 2011

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “congo”

 

• News from the glass and refractory ceramics worlds

  
  — Authority:
  • Austrian fireproof materials maker RHI is considering building a new plant in the United States, the company said, to join the growing number of European industrial firms attracted by cheap energy prices across the Atlantic. RHI said it would make a decision in the fourth quarter and could invest about €50 ...
  2 days ago

• A Case Study on Humanitarian Coordination

  
  — Authority:
  A Study about Humanitarian Coordination Executive Summary : In September 2000, the Policy Development Unit of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) commissioned the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) to undertake an independent study on humanitarian coordination. The aim was to ...
  2 days ago

• SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS LIEUTENANT GENERAL CARLOS ALBERTO DOS SANTOS CRUZ OF BRAZIL FORCE COMMANDER FOR UN MISSION IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

  
  Database of Press Releases related to Africa — Authority: 505
    SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS LIEUTENANT GENERAL CARLOS ALBERTO DOS SANTOS CRUZ OF BRAZIL FORCE COMMANDER FOR UN MISSION IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO   NEW YORK, May 20, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Lieutenant ...
  2 days ago

• 47 missing in DR Congo landslide

  
  — Authority:
  At least 47 people have been missing following a landslide in Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Xinhua reported. Natural catastrophe occurrred in Rubaya in North Kivu province of DR Congo. A rescue team has been working in the landslide zone but no survivor or body has been found. Nyiragongo volcano ...
  3 days ago

• Educate Yourself about Conflict Minerals | RAISE Hope for Congo

  
  — Authority:
  For more than a century, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been plagued by regional conflict and a deadly scramble for its vast natural resources. In fact, greed for Congo’s natural resources has been a principal driver of atrocities and conflict throughout Congo’s tortured history. In eastern Congo ...
  1 week ago

• Tanzanian Peacekeepers Arrive in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

  
  — Authority:
  A contingent of Tanzanian soldiers arrived on Friday in Goma, eastern the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of the intervention brigade authorized by the United Nations to help neutralize armed groups in this volatile part of the country, the UN said on Saturday. It could be recalled that the UN Security ...
  1 week ago

• Italys First Black Cabinet Minister Targeted by Racist Taunts

  
  — Authority:
  PHOTO: AP Italys first Black cabinet minister has been targeted by so much "violent" racist abuse from right-wing politicians and neo-Nazi groups that "the government [has] authorized its anti-discrimination office to investigate," reports AP. Forty-eight-year old eye surgeon Cecile Kyenge...
  1 week ago

• FDL Book Salon Welcomes David Axe, Army of God: Joseph Kony’s War in Central Africa

  
  — Authority:
  Welcome David Axe ( WarIsBoring.com ) ( Wired.com ) ( Twitter ) and Host Zack Beauchamp (ThinkProgress) ( Twitter ) Army of God: Joseph Kony’s War In Central Africa I finished Army of God while standing outside a DC metro station, after exiting for my final stop — it’s a gripping book, one filled ...
  1 week ago

• Gorillas Orphans Get Their Annual Physicals

  
  — Authority:
  Maisha, the eldest orphan, receives a genito-urinary ultrasound scan from Dr. Dawn Zimmerman. In addition to checking the health of the habituated mountain gorilla families, Gorilla Doctors Mike Cranfield, Eddy Syaluha, Dawn Zimmerman and Martin Kabuyaya paid the Senkwekwe Orphan Gorilla Center a visit to give ...
  1 week ago

• Pretoria-based think tank the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) estimates there are more than 33 armed groups currently operating in eastern DRC.

  
  African Press International (API) — Authority: 154
  JOHANNESBURG,  - The imminent deployment of a UN-backed 3,000-strong international force mandated to “neutralize… and disarm” all armed groups in the ea stern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) marks a switch to a more belligerent international stance towards rebel militia, but has met with scepticism in some ...
  1 week ago

• Open Letter to President Joseph Kabila

  
  — Authority:
  According to research by UN human rights investigators and Human Rights Watch, troops under Makenga’s command were responsible for an ethnic massacre in Buramba, recruitment of children and summary executions of deserters while a commander of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) armed group in ...
  1 week ago

• Elephants massacred for ivory in Central African Republic

  
  — Authority:
  Dozens of elephants have been slaughtered in the Dzanga Bai World Heritage Site in the Central African Republic just days after conservationists warned about an impending threat from the movement of 17 heavily armed poachers. The massacre occurred at a site renowned as village of elephants, where tourists and ...
  1 week ago

• Smart Reads May 10, 2013

  
  — Authority:
  ♦ Kofi Anna’s Africa Progress Panel releases a report lambasting Eurasian Natural Resources Corp for “opaque concession trading” costing the Democratic Republic of Congo $725m. ♦ With normal post-recession government employment expansion , US unemployment might be as low as 6.3 percent, but this recovery ...
  1 week ago

• RDC – Attaque contre la MONUSCO (10 mai 2013)

  
  Database of Press Releases related to Africa — Authority: 505
      RDC – Attaque contre la MONUSCO (10 mai 2013)   PARIS, France, 10 mai 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ – La France condamne avec fermeté l’attaque menée contre un convoi de la Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies pour la stabilisation en République démocratique du Congo ...
  1 week ago

• IOM Strengthens Cooperation with UNHCR to Tackle Internal Displacement in DRC

  
  Database of Press Releases related to Africa — Authority: 505
    IOM Strengthens Cooperation with UNHCR to Tackle Internal Displacement in DRC   GENEVA, Switzerland, May 10, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ – IOM has issued a joint letter with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) detailing enhanced cooperation to address the problem of ...
  1 week ago

• Frontiers of Learning

  
  — Authority:
  During the period of the campaign for the seven Baha’i leaders still in prison in Iran after five years, it is also important  to reflect upon the positive progress of the Faith in many parts of the world. The Baha’i World website offers a film that captures the spirit of this progress in an uplifting portrayal ...
  1 week ago

• GSK et Save the Children forment un partenariat unique pour sauver la vie d’un million d’enfants

  
  Database of Press Releases related to Africa — Authority: 505
  GSK et Save the Children forment un partenariat unique pour sauver la vie d’un million d’enfants Le partenariat déploiera initialement deux programmes phares en Afrique subsaharienne LONDRES, Royaume-Uni, 10 mai 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ – -          Les deux ...
  1 week ago

• Kongomani of the Rugendo Family

  
  — Authority:
  On May 5th, my fellow rangers and I went to check on the Rugendo family. The entire group was found to be doing well, but terrible weather prevented me from getting pictures of anyone other than silverback Kongomani. Those pictures came out quite well, so I thought I would share them with you. I think you will agree ...
  1 week ago

• GSK and Save the Children form unique partnership to save the lives of one million children

  
  Database of Press Releases related to Africa — Authority: 505
  GSK and Save the Children form unique partnership to save the lives of one million children The partnership will initially run two flagship programmes in Sub Saharan Africa LONDON, United-Kingdom, May 10, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ – -    Working together to accelerate the ...
  1 week ago

• District Line Daily: Georgia Avenue on My Mind

  
  — Authority:
  A morning roundup of news, opinion, and links from Washington City Paper and around the District. Send tips and ideas to citydesk@washingtoncitypaper.com . Sign up : To get District Line Daily—or any of our other email newsletters—sent straight to your mailbox, click here . If its Thursday, its Print ...
  1 week ago

Comments about congo