Marco Gualazzini

Democratic Republic of the Congo

work in progress
Formerly known as Zaire, the Congo has been violently exploited, and has been supplying all kinds of raw materials since the days of Leopold II of Belgium. In exchange, it has received little but war, corruption, death, disease, hunger, mercenaries, child soldiers and rape. Today the DRC is experiencing a period of major political instability caused by the end of the third mandate of President Kabila, who does not wish to give up leadership of the country as established by the constitution, and the fighting in the streets is causing bloodshed from Kinshasa to Goma. As if this were not enough, the country is also experiencing an intensification of inter-ethnic conflict in the Kivu Region, as well as renewed terrorist infiltration. In this scenario, the aim of our reportage is to look into the fragile situation of the weakest section of the population, those hit hardest by the violence afflicting the former Belgian colony.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is an area marked by lethal conflict, where war has killed over six million people since 1945. It is the richest country in the world in terms of resources, yet its people are among the poorest on the planet. Formerly known as Zaire, the Congo has been violently exploited, and has been supplying all kinds of raw materials since the days of Leopold II of Belgium. In exchange, it has received little but war, corruption, death, disease, hunger, mercenaries, child soldiers and rape. Rape, sexual violence, abuse of women: this is the tragedy within the tragedy of this African country, for which there appears to be no way out. Every year, 400,000 women are raped: an average of 48 an hour, almost one per minute.
Sexual violence in the Congo remains first and foremost a weapon of war, and is the darkest of the horrors in this African heart of darkness. Today the DRC is experiencing a period of major political instability caused by the end of the third mandate of President Kabila, who does not wish to give up leadership of the country as established by the constitution, and the fighting in the streets is causing bloodshed from Kinshasa to Goma. As if this were not enough, the country is also experiencing an intensification of inter-ethnic conflict in the Kivu Region, as well as renewed terrorist infiltration.

Workers exiting a mine shaft. Miners dig 50 meters underground for the minerals before transporting them to a nearby river where they are separated from rocks and sand before being sold to dealers. Mine accidents are common. Rubaya, Republic Democratic of Congo, 2013
Brigadier General Sultani Makenga (seated) of the newly formed Congolese Revolutionary is seen in Rumangabo military camp (Bunagana). The M23 Movement, the newly formed political wing of former M23 rebels, has formed a semi-autonomous administration structure in areas under their control in north Kivu province. Rutshuru, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2012
Workers exiting a mine shaft. Miners dig 50 meters underground for the minerals before transporting them to a nearby river where they are separated from rocks and sand before being sold to dealers. Mine accidents are common. Rubaya, Republic Democratic of Congo, 2013
Some Nyatura patrol the city center at sunset. The armed rebel movement of the Nyatura was formed by the secession, in 2010, of the CNDP rebel movement, now called M23. Formed mostly by Congolese Hutu, they are led by Colonel Marcel Habarugira. Today some of these rebels have been reintegrated into the regular Congolese army F.A.R.D.C. Without any form of salary, they survive by bullying, through abuse of power, abuse of civilians, raiding night and day and demanding a 10% tax on all forms of activity in the city of Rubaya, Republic Democratic of Congo, 2013
Some Nyatura patrolling the territory around the mines - The armed rebel movement of the Nyatura was formed by the secession, in 2010, of the CNDP rebel movement, now called M23. Formed mostly by Congolese Hutu, they are led by Colonel Marcel Habarugira. Today some of these rebels have been reintegrated into the regular Congolese army F.A.R.D.C. Without any form of salary, they survive by bullying, through abuse of power, abuse of civilians, raiding night and day and demanding a 10% tax on all forms of activity in the city of Rubaya, Republic Democratic of Congo, 2013
Internally displaced Congolese wait for food to be distributed by WFP at the Mugunga 3 camp outside the eastern Congolese town of Goma. Out of fear of the take-over of Goma by M23 rebels, thousands of people (767,000 have been displaced in the east of Congo since April following the outbreak of war between the M23 rebel movement and the FARDC) fled to refugee camps Mugunga 1 and 3. Many people in this site say they have witnessed shocking scenes of violence with people being burned in their homes and decapitated. Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012
Ndosho quarter, right on the outskirts of Goma. A Maibobo (a street child) is caught stealing a small radio from a group of students. Two men from the FARDC beat the boy with tremendous violence before the eyes of an awestruck crowd. The city of Goma, besieged by the rebel M23 forces, is the victim of a climax of military anarchy. The population accuses the government forces of looting, abuse of power, violence, rape and murder. Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012
Ndosho quarter: the pain felt for the death of Innocence Rugomoga, 37, the father of three children. Innocence was murdered with three shots from a firearm at 7.45 p.m. on the night of 17 October, during the curfew. No-one was able to rescue or help the man until the first light of dawn, for fear of running into one of the soldiers. Witnesses say they saw men wearing military uniform and boots, and the local folk once again suspect the FARDC. Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012
Internally displaced Congolese wait for food to be distributed by WFP at the Mugunga 3 camp outside the eastern Congolese town of Goma. Out of fear of the take-over of Goma by M23 rebels, thousands of people (767,000 have been displaced in the east of Congo since April following the outbreak of war between the M23 rebel movement and the FARDC) fled to refugee camps Mugunga 1 and 3. Many people in this sites say they have witnessed shocking scenes of violence with people being burned in their homes and decapitated. Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012
Stella Sekanabo was killed on the night of October 9, 2012 by a group of unidentified men. The day of the funeral, relatives and friends attribute the murder to a group of Tutsi rebels linked to M23. Yet another episode of violence pushing Hutu in an ethnic psychosis towards Tutsi. After this murder a curfew was settled in the city of Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012
A view of the territory of the Province of Rutshuru, governed by the M23 rebels, successors of the CNDP and accused by both the UN and the government of Kinshasa of being supported by Rwanda. A mentally ill kid chained is sitting on the edge of the road. He has been shackled by his parents because he used to throw rocks against M23's vehicles. Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012
Soldiers from the FARDC patrol the road the leads to Goma from Uganda through the Virunga, one of the most dangerous roads in the eastern province. Rutshuru, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2012
South Kivu, a view of a neighborhood of Panzi - where the Panzi Hospital is located - during a thunderstorm. Rape, sexual violence, abuse: this is the tragedy within the tragedy of this African country, for which it seems to be no way out. Every year about 15,000 women are raped, an average of 2 an hour. Sexual violence in the Congo remains first and foremost a weapon of war. Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2017
The grief of the mother of Lilian Kapinga Ebaribi, aged 3, who died from Ebola. Her father, Tambue Engoy Emanuel, a member of the military, and her mother, Julien Faida, deny the existence of the disease, claiming that the child was poisoned, and that Ebola is a conspiracy on the part of foreign countries to wipe out the people of the Congo. The mother’s grief. Beni, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2019
Lilian Kapinga Ebambe, aged 3, who died from Ebola on 28 July. Her father, Tambue Engoy Emanuel, a member of the military, and her mother, Julien Faida, deny the existence of the disease, claiming that the child was poisoned, and that Ebola is a conspiracy on the part of foreign countries to wipe out the people of the Congo. The mother’s grief. Beni, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2019