The so-called copper belt in southeastern Congo was already a lucrative hotspot during colonial rule. The Belgian company Union Minière du Haut-Katanga (UMHK) had millions of tons of copper extracted for the Belgian industry. The Shinkolobwe mine (now closed) mined uranium ore that would be used for the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After … Read more
Flooding in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 176 people. Dozens of people were injured and an unknown number of people are missing. The victims all come from the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi in South Kivu, the governor of the South Kivu region said. Many of the victims are women and … Read more
AFP NOS News•today, 01:27 In northeastern Congo, United Nations soldiers have discovered two mass graves containing the bodies of 49 people. The graves were found in Ituri province, a UN spokesman said. According to the organization, rebels from the armed group Codeco carried out attacks on civilians in that region last weekend. After soldiers from … Read more
Dieter Telemans ANNOUNCEMENTS•today, 21:19•Edited today, 21:47 No agreement was reached in Belgium on apologies for the Belgian colonial past to the African countries Congo, Burundi and Rwanda. The royal palace and two political parties think parliament’s apology goes too far, he said VRT News. Last month, the chairman of the Congo committee of the House … Read more
Reuters ANNOUNCEMENTS•yesterday, 20:50•Edited yesterday, 22:29 At least 120 people have died in floods and landslides in the Congolese capital Kinshasa, the interior ministry said. Dozens of wounded too. Rescue operations are still ongoing. According to local and national officials, heavy rains have caused landslides in recent days, especially in neighborhoods of the city where many … Read more