Country Close Up – The Democratic Republic of Congo
It’s Thursday, which means that it’s time for our country close up . Just after last week’s post I met a very interesting guy, a rapper who had moved down to South Africa to escape the troubles of his home land and try and make a career here. That land is Congo, or more correctly, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
After speaking with him for a while about his home, I realised how much there is that I still do no know about this beautiful but ravaged continent of ours. Also, that there is much to be said for knowing one’s history. I started digging around on the internet for some information and found a country profile on the BBC news site which provides a concise history of the country’s turbulent past. Have a read here.
Afrigator Country Close Up on the Democratic Republic of Congo
Map Location
Source: http://maps.google.com
Vital Stats:
* Name: Democratic Republic of Congo
* Full Native Name: Repblique Democratique du Congo
* Internet code: .cd
* Population: 62.6 million people
* Number of blogs on Afrigator: 35
* Capital City: Kinshasa
Demographic Information
source: http://wolframalpha.com
Cultural Information
source: http://wolframalpha.com
Interesting facts about the DRC
* It is the third largest country (by area) in Africa Nigeria
* Almost one-half of the population is 15 years of age or under.
* A Hollywood movie was made about former Prime Minister Patrice Lamumba
I know that one little blog post about a country won’t change much but hopefully it will get you curious (like it did me) and spur you on to learn a little more about this wonderful continent of ours.
mambe nanje churchill said,
Wrote on June 29, 2009 @ 11:44
great great. keep the good work exposing Africa
Alan said,
Wrote on June 29, 2009 @ 18:21
Hi, I’m wondering if you took a look at the bottom photograph properly, it’s maybe not entirely appropriate in the context of this article?
Rizik said,
Wrote on July 9, 2009 @ 09:44
MJPC blames the Congolese Government for Deteriorating Situation in East Congo
“There is no excuse for missing to pay salaries to soldiers in lawless eastern Congo for six months”
Following the deteriorating situation in east Congo, the MJPC called for the Congolese Government to pay the salaries of thousands of soldiers who have not been paid for over six months in east Congo and take swift action to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) warrant against Bosco Ntaganda and to held accountable perpetrators of sexual violence against women for their acts.
“Faillng to hold accountable individuals who commit war crimes and crimes against humunity continues to be the leading cause of widespread and systematic sexual violence acts against girls and women in the easten Congo” said Makuba Sekombo, Community Affairs Director of
the Mobilization for Justice and Peace in the DR Congo (MJPC). Mr. Sekombo again criticized the government of Congo for not only the continuing failure to protect women and young girls from sexual violence, but also for “encouraging conditions that create opportunities for sexual violence to occur”. “There is no excuse for missing to pay salaries to soldiers in lawless eastern Congo for six months” said Sekombo.
The MJPC has also renewed its call for the Congolese government to take urgent needed action to end human rights abuses in east Congo, hold perpetrators accountable and ensure reparation for the victims of sexual violence. The MJPC has been urging the Congolese government to compensate the victims of sexual violence in order to also help combat impunity in eastern part of Congo where sexual violence against women and children has been widely used as weapon of war for more than decade.MJPC online petition calling for for help to put pressure on Congolese Government to compensate victims of sexual siolence in Eastern DRC can be signed at http://www.gopetition.com.au/online/26180.html
MJPC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to working to add a voice in the promotion of justice and peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular in the East where thousands of innocent civilians, including children and women continue to be victims of massive human rights violations while the armed groups responsible for these crimes remain unpunished.
For more information on MJPC and the activities, visit the web site http://www.mjpcongo.org. E-mail: info@mjpcongo.org or call Makuba Sekombo at 1 408 806 3644.