D.R. CONGO VOTES IN FIRST FREE ELECTIONS IN 40 YEARS
INCUMBENT EXPECTED TO WIN, BUT NON-VIOLENT 'TRANSITION' THOUGHT TO MAKE POSSIBLE A LASTING PEACE
1 November 2006

The Democratic Republic of Congo voted Sunday in its first free and decisive presidential elections in four decades. It is hoped that a peaceful transition with a recognized, elected government, will bring peace to the war-ravaged country. More than four million people have been killed in civil war, just since 1998, and decades of instability and violent conflict have taken many more lives.

The 1998-2003 war was dubbed by some "Africa's World War", due to the array of neighboring countries fueling the violence, in part for ethnic and political factional ties, in part for their interest in mineral wealth potentially controlled from Kinshasa.

More than 1,200 people per day continue to die due to the humanitarian catastrophe spawned by the years of war. One woman told Reuters the day was not a happy one, that she was voting only because she was sick of the death and suffering. "Two of my children died of hunger, militiamen destroyed my home — I've lost everything because of this war," she said, adding "Something big has to change."

There is much hope the vote will establish a new period of peace and stability, and an opportunity to rebuild civil society, but there are also fears it could lead to further violence. Incumbent pres. Joseph Kabila, who is expected to win, is the son of rebel leader Laurent Kabila —assassinated while in the presidency—, while his opponent Jean-Pierre Bemba is a former warlord. There have been reports of clashes between bands of their supporters, but both say they are committed to seeing the peace process through and respecting the poll.

Millions of Congolese citizens braved horrendous weather conditions, with heavy rains and muddy streets, to be sure to participate in the process which could deterine the future of their country, their families and their culture. Final results in the count are not expected for several weeks. [s]

AMNESTY REPORTS INTERNATIONAL ARMS TRADE 'OUT OF CONTROL'
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP SAYS 'OPAQUE CHAIN' OF PRIVATE INTERESTS INCREASING SHIPMENTS OF DANGEROUS ARMS, WITH LITTLE SUPERVISION
10 May 2006

Amnesty International has published a new report examining the international arms trade, and its findings indicate there is little control on the expanding web of private interests seeking to profit from a proliferation of dangerous weapons. The report also illustrates the ways in which this scattering of dangerous weapons has lead to severe human rights abuses. [Full Story]

4 MILLION KILLED IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO SINCE 1998
LARGELY OUT OF SIGHT OF WORLD MEDIA, MILLIONS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ONGOING CONFLICT, OR BY RAMPANT DISEASE, POVERTY
12 February 2006

Ongoing armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo —formerly Zaire— has taken an estimated 4 million lives since 1998. While the brutal civil war that began in 1998 took an estimated 2 million lives, continued factional conflict, disease, lack of basic civil social services and malnutrition, due in part to crop failure, have combined to take another 2 million lives. [Full Story]

CONGOLESE CHILD SOLDIERS DISARMED
25 November 2003

The UN reports that over 400 child soldiers were "demobilized" in the Eastern Congo, a region still plagued by instability and deprivation. The child rebels were offered humanitarian and food aid in exchange for their weapons, setting what might be an example for other such missions in war-torn, remote regions. [Full Story]