Congo's War from All Sides

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• published: 03 Nov 2008
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Archives from the War (2008): We highlight our full and powerful archive covering the Congo' s last few years. Footage includes those left struggling in the refugee camps and the Rebels vs Army fight for the precious mineral-rich lands. For downloads and more information visit http://journeyman.tv/59189/short-films/archives-from-the-war.html Despite the agreed ceasefire, war continues to rage with widespread killing and raping. "Our future is to die", states one 18 year old. The demand for minerals such as coltan and cassiterite also fuels the killings, where militias force locals to work at gunpoint in terrible conditions. "Once you get down more than 200 feet, the air flow stops altogether," explains one miner. Can peace ever return here? Congo's Forgotten War - 07 min 10 sec Every month, another 45,000 people are killed in the DRC, in a war that was supposed to have ended five years ago. Congo remains one of the world's most dangerous and isolated places. "We live like apes. Our future is to die", states one 18 year old. Despite the agreed ceasefire, war is still raging here. At the Cheverie refugee camp, 5,500 families share one tap. There is no toilet. "Our life here is pitiful", laments one woman. Bands of militias roam the countryside, killing civilians and burning down villages. Gang rape has become the most common weapon of war. Sifi, 18, was kidnapped by rebel soldiers. Months of repeated rapes left her paralysed and incontinent. She became pregnant but her baby was stillborn. And it's not just young women who are at risk. Even toddlers and septugenarians have been raped. Many of those who survive contract HIV or are ostracized by the community. "When my husband realised I'd been raped, he abandoned me", states Odette. "He abandoned our two children as well". The rebels prevent food supplies reaching refugees, leading to acute malnutrition. Every month, more than 20,000 children die from hunger or easily preventable diseases. The war in Eastern Congo has gone on for so long, few can remember anything else. Every attempt to bring peace has failed. (Susan Schulman - Ref. 3899) Congo's Curse - 14 min 37 sec The militias, formed during Congo's civil war, now control much of the country's natural resources. The government faces a big problem disarming them.The war may officially be over, but the militias remain. "Gold is the reason why every year, we have war and rebellions", states Ngabu Adirodu. It is still too dangerous for aid workers to travel without military escorts. The population is trapped between rival militias and the new army and many towns have been deserted. As one man states: "We are as afraid of the army as the militias." (IRIN - Ref. 3157) Congo's Tin Soldiers - 20 min 00 sec The West's demand for Cassiterite is fuelling the killings in Congo. Militias rely on slave labour to extract the ore, forcing locals to work in sub-human conditions."Once you get down there, there's no air", describes one worker. "The rocks often bury us and you have to crawl through the tiny hole, using your fingers to dig." Labourers like him often go unpaid. They're forced to work at gunpoint by militias operating outside the control of the government. "Different armed groups do what they want with the population", laments minister Buta Muiso. But British businessman Ketankumar Kotecha sees nothing wrong in buying casiterite from the militias. "If I didn't do it, someone else would. I am not here as some kind of moral saviour." (Elizabeth Jones - Ref. 3095) Ref. 4216 Journeyman Pictures is your independent source for the world's most powerful films, exploring the burning issues of today. We represent stories from the world's top producers, with brand new content coming in all the time. On our channel you'll find outstanding and controversial journalism covering any global subject you can imagine wanting to know about.