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IAFS 1000 The Congo

IAFS 1000 The Congo. Le Grand Kalle, “ Independence ChaCha ”. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mobutu Sese Seko. Map: www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/africa_pol_2003.jpg; Mobutu: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/903324.stm. Heart of Darkness. Marlow on Leopold ’ s colonialism:

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IAFS 1000 The Congo

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  1. IAFS 1000The Congo Le Grand Kalle, “Independence ChaCha”

  2. Democratic Republicof the Congo Mobutu Sese Seko Map: www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/africa_pol_2003.jpg; Mobutu: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/903324.stm

  3. Heart of Darkness • Marlow on Leopold’s colonialism: “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much.”

  4. Heart of Darkness • Futile violence: “In the empty immensity of earth, sky, and water, there she was, incomprehensible, firing into a continent.”

  5. Heart of Darkness • Kurtz: • Report to the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs: “exterminate all the brutes” • Marlow’s assessment: “His was an impenetrable darkness” • Last words: “The horror! The horror!”

  6. Historical Reality in the Congo Free State • Rubber trade • Hostage-taking • Collection of hands: ‘To gather rubber in the district . . . one must cut off hands, noses and ears’

  7. The Congo Free State • International protest • 1908: Belgian government takeover • “Listen to the yell of Leopold's ghostBurning in Hell for his hand-maimed host.Hear how the demons chuckle and yellCutting his hands off, down in Hell.” (Vachel Lindsay, “The Congo”)

  8. Belgian Congo:Worst-Case Decolonization • Few educational or political opportunities • 1956-60: Independence movement • Nationalist leaders: —Lumumba (Congolese National Movement) —Kasavubu (Alliance of Kongo People) Lumumba Kasavubu

  9. Independence • June 30, 1960: Independence • President: Kasavubu • Prime Minister: Lumumba —“Tears, Fire, and Blood” speech Lumumba

  10. Independent Congo • Sept 14, 1960: military coup led by Joseph Mobutu • Jan 1961: Lumumba murdered • Filmreel of captured Lumumba • Feb 1961: Kasavubu restored to power Lumumba Kasavubu

  11. Independent Congo • 1965: Mobutu coup —Congo renamed Zaire —kleptocracy: rule by thieves • 1994: Rwandan-aided rebellion

  12. Independent Congo • 1997: Kabila president —Zaire renamed Congo • 1998: new rebellion as “Africa’s world war” • 2001: Kabila assassinated —succeeded by his son, Joseph Kabila Laurent Kabila

  13. Recent Events in Congo • 2003: Peace accord, transitional govt • 2006 elections —Pres. Joseph Kabila —VP Jean-Pierre Bemba Laurent Kabila

  14. Recent Events in Congo • 2008-present: violence in the east • 2012: Intl Criminal Court conviction of Thomas Lubunga for using child soldiers

  15. Themes • Comparative decolonization • Colonialism’s role in Congolese instability • Art as a political tool http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/uk_heart_of_darkness_meets_apocalypse_now/html/8.stm

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