Coltan or Columbite-tantalite is a metallic ore, found mainly in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When this substance is refined it becomes a vital component in cell phone circuit boards (http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/congo-coltan.htm). In the DRC Coltan is mined by hand by many individuals as this is a highly profitable career, typical salary of an average Congolese worker is $10 per month but a Coltan miner can earn as much as $200 per month. 80% of the world’s known Coltan supply is in the DRC, which should be a positive for the DRC’s economy. However, this ore has fueled violence across this country and caused environmental degradation (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8234583.stm).

The mining of Coltan comes with a direct human cost. Local militias follow the freelance miners and demand cuts from their profits. These militias terrorize the surrounding villages to ensure that they receive a cut of all profits. Women in these villages are often raped in front of their families. This insures that the local people are scared of these militias and are not likely to rise against them. Coltan is not only causing social issues within the DRC, the mining of this ore is also causing environmental degradation. The Kahuzi Biega National Park is the main area where Coltan is mined. The Park is constantly being cleared to make mining easier, which is has a direct impact on the natural environment and the species that live there. For example, in the Kahuzi Biega National Park the gorilla population has been cut nearly in half. The destruction of their natural habitat has reduced the available food and basic necessities for this species. Also, gorillas are being hunted at an increased rate as a food source for miners and rebel armies in the area (http://www.cellular-news.com/coltan/).

Companies that use Coltan are now starting to demand that their Coltan only comes from legitimately mined sources. Some major companies are even refusing to purchase Coltan from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Coltan is an important part of the DRC’s economy. In order to preserve Coltan as part of the DRC’s economy the government must work to make a Coltan industry that is more environmentally and socially friendly. Government support of this industry would encourage international companies to promote this industry in the DRC stimulating the economy. Also, government support and intervention would allow the industry to become more legitimate.

 

HIV/AIDS has become an increasing problem in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The vast majority of people living with the AIDS virus in the DRC are deprived of lifesaving treatment. Currently it is estimated that more than one million people in the DRC are HIV-positive. Of these one million people 350,000 could benefit from antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, however, only 44,000 people are actually receiving this treatment (http://www.irinnews.org/report/95412/drc-hiv-effort-needs-government-donor-commitment-to-succeed). At the moment there is a waiting list in order to receive this treatment. Unfortunately, only way to get onto a treatment list is to wait until a space opens up due to a death or dropout. The only other way to get this treatment is to seek the severely limited treatment options available outside the government’s programs. However, few people can afford private treatment. This is especially a problem in rural areas where people do not even have access to private treatment.  

 The DRC is one of the two lowest ranked countries in western and central Africa in terms of preventing the mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Currently only about 1% of pregnant women have access to treatment. Without this treatment approximately one-third of babies born who have been exposed to the virus will be born with HIV (http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/press/release.cfm?id=5742). Without this treatment HIV will continue to persist throughout the DRC. Another issue concerning HIV is that the public has limited knowledge of HIV and there is minimal testing. This means people are often diagnosed in very advanced stages of illness. This in turn puts more work on the state, as more intense and expensive forms of treatment must be provided.

 The government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo needs to make HIV a priority.  Currently foreign aid is covering the cost of HIV treatment in the DRC (http://rhin.org/documents/HIV-AIDS_Health_Profile_Democratic_Republic_of_Congo_English.pdf). In order to take care of this issue the government needs to use their own revenues in addition to foreign aid to pay for HIV treatment. In addition the government needs to take the lead on providing accurate HIV information to its people. People with diagnosed with HIV are shunned because people do not understand how HIV is transmitted. Through education people would know that someone living with HIV is just like anyone else they should not be shunned. In this case the government needs to take the lead in solving this issue. The people of the DRC believe the government to be incompetent and completely unconcerned about the general population. If the government makes the appropriate stride in combating this issue the general public will look more favorably at the government. Having the respect of the public will be essential in ensuring that the DRC moves out of its status as a failed state. 

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo one in four children aged 5-17 is missing out on the fundamental right to education. This indicates that approximately 7.4 children in the DRC are not in school. The number of children who are not in school is three times higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Girls are especially affected and account for more than half of those who are not enrolled (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/drcongo_68298.html). 

In 2010 the Congolese government decreed that there would be a gradual transition towards free primary education for the population. However, the elimination of school fees has not become operational in many provinces. Families still have had to pay a monthly “minerval” which covers the cost of incentives for teachers, a school uniform, and learning materials. Many families cannot afford to pay the $5 “minerval” payment, preventing their children from attending school.

In addition to financial concerns there are other issues surrounding education within the DRC. There is a severe shortage of teachers for the public school system. Currently, the national average is one teacher for 37 pupils; however, in rural areas there can be more than 100 pupils per class. These teachers are not able to focus their attention on each pupil, which compromises the children’s ability to learn. Another issue that has had a negative effect on the education system in the DRC has been the use of school land by private developers. The schools cannot longer accommodate all of the children, as the land keeps getting taken (http://www.irinnews.org/report/94196/drc-millions-miss-out-on-basic-education).

UNICEF and other partners have created programs to attempt to promote education in the DRC. One of these programs is entitled the Back to School Campaign. This program recruits adolescents to be advocates for education. These young advocates attract teach other children about the importance about education (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/drcongo_70708.html). This has been an effective program as children are more likely to listen to their peers than outsiders from UNICEF.

Education has the power to make the Democratic Republic of the Congo a successful state. Increased education typically results in: raising income, improving health, promoting gender equality, mitigating climate change, and reducing poverty (http://www.globalpartnership.org/who-we-are/the-value-of-education/). If these were the results of an increased desire for education in the DRC the state would benefit substantially. 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been a major presence in the news this past week. Although war in the DRC ended a couple of years ago, there are militia groups still fighting the Congolese government. This past week one of these groups surrendered ending some of the conflict in eastern DRC. M23 has wreaked havoc across eastern DRC since April 2012 when its insurgency officially began (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24849814). This group is comprised mostly of people from the Tutsi ethnic group, which is a minority in eastern DRC. However, this ethnic group has strong ties with Rwanda’s leaders. It is unclear if Rwanda has been helping this group, however they have denied all involvement. This group is called M23 in reference to a 23 March 2009 peace deal, which a former militia group the CNDP signed with the Congolese government. The M23 rebels said the government had not lived up to its promises in the deal.

The Congolese army backed by the UN led a crushing offensive this past weekend, which resulted in the ultimate surrender of the M23. The UN and the Congolese government have made it a priority to stamp out rebel groups accused of human rights abuses including rape, murder, and recruiting child soldiers (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-11-06/rest-of-world/43730967_1_sultani-makenga-m23-rwandan-border). This past time Sultani Makenga, an M23 commander, handed himself over along with hundreds of M23 fighters to Uganda. Col Makegna, another M23 commander, and about 1,700 fighters have been disarmed. This group is being held in a secret location. No decision has been made on whether the M23’s commanders would be handed over the DRC. This puts Uganda in an interesting diplomatic position, as both the DRC and the UN are adamnet that the M23’s top commanders will not be given amnesty. The Democratic Republic of Congo says it will sign a peace deal with M23. (http://www.euronews.com/2013/11/08/dr-congo-peace-deal-with-m23-to-be-signed-on-monday/). The signing ceremony will take place in Kampala in the presence of officials from the African Union and the UN. Analysts say the surrender of Col Makenga, if confirmed will be a major success for the Congolese army, which has been struggling to restore calm in the eastern DRC for two decades. The Congolese army is expected to tackle other rebel movements in the east of the country.

 The elimination of this rebel group is a significant victory for the Congolese government. The disbanding of the M23 marks the clearest military victory for the Congolese government since 1963. This event should prove to be positive for the Congolese government. The people of the DRC should have some of their faith restored in the Congolese army. Also, this should give the Congolese a positive view of their government. This state has a lot of potential, and the Congolese beginning to believe in the government is a step in the right direction. 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has a legacy of conflict, environmental degradation, rapid urbanization, and under-investment in water infrastructure all of which has negatively impacted the availability of drinking water in the DRC. The Democratic Republic of the Congo possesses over half of Africa’s water reserves, however, 74% of its population do not have access to safe drinking water (http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/water-issues-democratic-republic-congo-challenges-and-opportunities). The problem is water management- delivery and quality rather than quantity. The body charged with providing water in the DRC is the National Water Distribution Company (SNDE) established in 1967, delivers poor quality water that makes people sick (http://www.irinnews.org/report/82248/congo-where-water-is-bad-for-your-health). It has been found that inadequate water and sanitation delivery in the DRC’s rapidly expanding urban centers is due to insufficient, aging, and overloaded networks, combined with the degradation of critical water sources and watersheds. The water quality in rural areas is especially worrisome. The state water utility continues to pump water to needy and rural areas through rotting pipes (http://thewaterproject.org/water-in-crisis-congo.php). Thus, these communities continually have to find natural sources of water. The wealthy in the DRC rely on imported bottle water for their needs rather than tap water provided by the state. One liter of water costs about $1, which may seem like a relatively low cost. However, in the DRC, the majority of people make less than two dollars a day. Thus, the majority of people can not afford to buy safe water.

 

Currently, the state water utility in the DRC does not have the ability to improve its water pumping system because they lack the funds to undertake the project. However, this issue has come to the attention internationally. With international partners the DRC’s government hopes to make tap water safe for everyone. The Congolese government’s goal is to reduce by half the number of people who have no access to drinking water by 2015. In fixing the water infrastructure the state will create legitimacy. The state’s job is to take care of the basic needs of its people. Fixing an infrastructure that is causing people to be ill, will create good will amongst the general public. 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the agricultural potential to feed the entirety of Africa. As this country is located on the equator, its climate favors the cultivation of a wide range of crops. However, at this point it has been estimated that only 1-2% of the nation’s arable territory is under cultivation at any one time. The DRC does not grow enough to meet the basic food need of its 52 million citizens. At the moment up to 60% of DRC’s population has to participate in subsistence farming on a micro level just to meet their basic food needs. This issue is only going to get worse. At the moment agricultural production is only growing at an average of 2% per year, however, population growth is growing at an average of 3% per year. This is only going to increase food shortage problems within the country (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-adv/specialsales/spotlight/congo/food.html).

There are several factors that inhibit the DRC from realizing its agricultural potential. Over the past 20 years the government has barely invested in agriculture, which has substantially limited the growth of this sector. Many farmers have struggled to gain access to credit, which has had negative impacts for farmers across the nation (http://www.new-ag.info/en/country/profile.php?a=641). Another factor that has limited agricultural potential in the DRC has been transportation. There has been a deterioration of agricultural feeder roads, as well as, a disruption of major waterways and railways. Without an effective transportation network it is impossible to move products where they need to go. Food is a product that needs to get places in a timely manner, thus transportation is an important component of this sector. The final factor that is impacting the agricultural sector is the use of low-tech agricultural practices. This limits the overall production of crops (http://www.dounia-risri.net/spip.php?rubrique21&lang=en).

The DRC has to learn to capitalize on its unrealized agricultural capacity.  This country has the ability to provide for its citizens. If the government can learn to utilize the immense agricultural resources that they have this will help the entire state. The government providing its citizens with basic needs is a step in the right direction to ensure that this country will eventually become a stable state. 

Discrimination is extremely high in the DRC, especially against indigenous cultures. For this blog post I chose to focus on the blatant discrimination against an indigenous group called the Bambuti. The Bambuti are a pygmy group that live primarily in the Ituri forest in the DRC.

Discrimination against pygmies dates back hundreds of years and is deeply ingrained in Congolese society. DRC’s indigenous people have been described as some of the most marginalized people in the entire world. This is particularly true of the Bambuti. This group lacks government support and is routinely denied public services. Government officials and other authority figures do not take pygmies seriously and send them away. The pygmies are especially marginalized in society, as they have no land or money. In order to make money for their families, many Bambuti have moved to cities to try and get jobs (http://www.irinnews.org/report/90354/drc-displacement-and-discrimination-the-lot-of-the-bambuti-pygmies). However, it is hard for the Bambuti to find jobs due to the stigma that follows them, and even when they find jobs, they are paid much less than Bantu laborers. At best a pygmy laborer makes about half of what a Bantu laborer would earn for the same work. Typically, the average monthly income of a pygmy laborer is only $20 (http://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/research/all?count_exact=Congo%2C+Democratic+Republic+of&qterm=&lang_exact=English&teratopic_exact=Education&majdocty_exact=Publications+%26+Research). Poverty is widespread in the DRC with 71.7% of the population estimated to be poor, however, 84.8% of the pygmy population is considered poor. As a result of the Bambuti’s poverty, school enrollment rates are low, as many parents do not have the means to pay for their children’s education (http://www.pipesinternational.org/index.php/pygmy-book/bambuti-pygmies). Negative attitudes toward pygmies still persist in the education system. Pygmy children tend to stand out in school typically lacking school uniforms, pens, and books, making them easily identifiable. The overall superior attitude against pygmies in general in the DRC continues to prevent the Bambuti from integrating into society, as well as, preserving their culture. 

Discrimination against specific groups is a sign of a weak state. This blatant discrimination against particular groups creates problems for the government. As these groups are forced to leave their traditional homes, they encounter a world in which they have no skills. With the discrimination against this group they cannot afford to take care of themselves or their families. This causes issues amongst the state, as the government now has a group of people that need welfare, but the country does not necessarily have the means to fund this. The government needs to take a stand to stop the discrimination against these groups. As of right now it is so ingrained that this group should be mistreated that culturally it will take a long time to change this societal structure. 

 

            

            The  Democratic Republic of the Congo ratified it’s Constitution in February 2006. According to the Constitution, the DRC is a highly decentralized unitary state (http://www.constitutionnet.org/files/DRC%20-%20Congo%20Constitution.pdf). This document establishes a government at national and provincial levels, but the establishment of local governments and assemblies has not been completed. The Constitution specifically says that the Congolese State exercises sovereignty over lands and resources. This document also only recognizes individual and collective property rights obtained either through formal or customary law. The topic of land rights is vaguely addressed in the new Constitution. Although the general characteristics of the Congolese legal system stem from the Belgian system, Congolese law also includes customary or tribal law primarily used in rural areas. Customary laws focus primarily on property rights. Generally, the right to property is based on the inheritance and land tenure systems in each community (http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/democratic_republic_congo.htm).

            Many indigenous communities have the same status as other Congolese citizens; however, the land that they have lived on for generations is not formally recognized by the government (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/BambutiCampaign.aspx). These traditional communities are being removed from their land, primarily because this land is greatly preserved. The Congolese government allows local authorities to handle land tenure issues, thus many people are moving into areas without buying any land. As the indigenous people are being forced off of their land they have to move to cities where they do not have any real world skills. Also, the land itself is in jeopardy. Natural resources are being exploited at a rapid pace due to the limited regulation of land in the DRC.

            Property rights are a very important part of every state. Without structure government systems shut down and the state cannot operate efficiently. In this case in allowing local governments control over property can be seen as a negative. This creates an environment where corruption is prominent. Local officials are looking to make money off of selling government and indigenous land. Property rights in the DRC are one of the reasons for its state failure. In allowing local governments to control property rights this does not allow for a complete set of national laws. This lack of consistency threatens the legitimacy of the government. Also, with local governments selling government and indigenous land creates a distrust in the political structure as a whole. 

Although officially the Democratic Republic of the Congo has a democratically appointed president, the question of legitimacy is still raised. The last public election was held in 2011 where the incumbent President Joseph Kabila was re-elected. Kabila received 49% of the votes, with Etienne Tshisekedi receiving 32% and Vital Kamer with 7.7% (http://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/drc-121011.html).

            Public, democratic elections create an atmosphere of legitimacy by allowing the citizens of the DRC a say in their governmental officials. However, the results were questioned. Voter turnout was only 58% of the population. This would indicate that the general public does not have faith that the elections will be fair. Although this low voter turnout could also be attributed to the limited amount of voting locations.

            The tabulation process proved to be problematic in 2011. The cities were not prepared for the voting process. This in turn produced methodology that cannot be seen as credible. It has been determined that about 7.6% of the votes were not counted, which means that roughly 1.6 million votes were excluded from this election (http://mg.co.za/article/2011-12-14-eu-discounts-chaotic-drc-election-results/). The runner up Tshisedkedi immediately questioned the final outcome of the vote, casting doubt on the system. Casting doubt upon the credibility of the election does not foster good feelings toward the elected government. This also perpetuates the cycle of feelings of distrust towards the government. If the population does not feel that their votes are correctly they will be less inclined to vote in public elections.

            The question of the legitimacy of the elections that took place in the DRC in 2011 was also raised internationally. Belgium’s foreign minister refused to attend the official ceremony for Kabila. In regards to handling issues with the DRC many western governments follow Belgium due to it history with the DRC. However, Europe and the US have relatively little leverage over the happenings in the DRC as it possesses a large proportion of natural resources that the industrialized world needs (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16251401).

            Although the legitimacy of the government has been called into question I believe that these elections are an important step in transforming the DRC from a weak state into a thriving one. Elections give the DRC’s population a say in their government. In promoting democracy this will increase the public’s awareness of international and national issues. Eventually, the public will ensure the transparency of elections. 

DRC- History

            This semester for my geopolitics class I have been tasked to blog about a country of my choosing. After much consideration, I selected  the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In a previous class, I had the opportunity to study the Bambuti pygmies, an indigenous culture residing in this country. This assignment allows me to learn more about the country where the Bambuti live.

            For my first blog post I want to look at the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country with a history of violence and social turmoil. The DRC gained its independence from Belgium in 1960, with Joseph Dasavubu as President and Patrice Lumumba as Prime Minister. Five years later Mobutu Sese Seko staged a coup d’etat and overthrew the government. Mobutu was a brutal dictator, who fostered corruption in the government system (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13283212). The DRC lived under this dictatorship until 1996, when a rebellion began led by Laurent Désiré Kabila. In 1997 the neighboring countries of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda backed the rebellion and Mobutu was soon deposed, and Kabila named president. A year later, Kabila ordered his Rawandan and Ugandan allies out of the country and a civil war erupted (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jan/23/congo.international). Although a cease-fire was signed in July of 1999, all parties continuously violated the agreement. In 2001 Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards, and his son, Joseph Kabila, became the head of state. Finally, in December 2002 a peace accord, known by its French name ‘Accord Global et Inclusif, was signed. A transitional government was set up in July 2003, which managed to adopt a new constitution as well as hold elections in 2006 (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/31/world/africa/31congo.html?_r=0). Kabila was inaugurated as president in February 2007. Coup attempts and sporadic violence continued to cause many problems in the DRC and the region still remains volatile.

            Although the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country with extensive economic resources, its history and continued social conflict make it a failed state. The history of conflict in this nation has greatly impacted the state as a whole. Having only gained their independence from colonial rule in 1960 creates a host of problems. A dictatorship was established soon after independence, and  this regime did little to establish a solid political identity. Instead, the regime fostered distrust in politicians and their policies due to the outright corruption of the political system. In freeing the DRC from a dictatorship, civil war erupted,  causing many humanitarian issues. The civil war finally ended in late 2002 and the first president was elected in 2007. Therefore, the DRC has only had a limited time to implement a new political structure and create effective policies. A few years is not enough time to establish a government that can provide its citizens with important services. Also, this is not enough time to ensure the legitimacy of the government in this region. Despite the major strides the DRC has taken, social unrest is still visible.