The civil war in Congo has claimed over 5.6 million people since the year 1998. Involving seven nations, it has been described as the deadliest war after the world wars. While some people have died in the battle field, many others have died due to preventable causes such as diseases that could not be cured to destruction of the infrastructure. Finding the cause of the war is therefore necessary in the effort to eliminate such wars in Africa and around the world.
Scramble For the Natural Resources
The major cause of the civil war in Congo is the scramble for the resources. The country is endowed with resources such as copper, gold, diamond, uranium and oil. Its soil is also rich for agriculture. For this reason, the developed nations have fueled the conflict in the bid to secure them. The political leadership in the country has made policies that work against the peace of the nation. In fact, they have liaised with the developed nations to make inappropriate trade deals.
After the declaration of independence in 1960, Congo was not given economic rights. Instead, other nations in the west and parts of Europe came up with deals to overthrow the then president, Patrice Lumumba, and put in place Mobutu Seseseko. The country would then be lured to support the fight against communism and in the process lose its resources to the U.S and other nations. Over 400 million dollars was offered by the U.S for ammunition and military training. In turn, Mobutu’s regime would offer economic and political favors.
The Current State of the Civil War
Even after being overthrown in 1997 by Laurent Kabila, the damage made by Mobutu Seseseko is still being experienced in the country. Internal conflicts have become the order of the day and the citizens have suffered immensely. The country has over 12 billion dollar worth of debt. Worse still, the current regime has continued to work with the developed nations and other African nations to push their dictatorial and selfish agendas.
It is clear that the major cause of Congo civil war is the involvement of other nations in the scramble for the resources. Instead of helping the nation to eliminate conflict, nations such as the United States have offered the leaders more ammunition and power to suppress the citizens. Accordingly, ensuring that the developed nations do not get involved in such wars will ensure that peace reigns in the world.