WBEZ | Congo

Millions of Congolese vote despite intimidation and violence

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:58:00 -0600

Amidst burning ballot boxes and armed rebels, millions of Congolese headed to the polls yesterday to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections. This is only the second time in the country’s history that the entire nation has been able to vote and the first election organized by the government instead of the international community.

Despite its historic nature, yesterday's vote was extremely messy. Massive logistical chaos and violence ensued at polling stations around the country. There were reports of ballot stuffing, bribery and fraud.

In response, polling hours have been extended and voters are continuing to cast ballots today. The ballots themselves are 13 pages long, with voters choosing between some 18,000 candidates.

Kambale Musavuli, a native of the DRC, as well as spokesperson and student coordinator for pro-democracy group Friends of the Congo, explains the implications.

For more context on the elections, watch these videos:

Millions of voters headed to the polls despite rampant violence. Here's raw footage of the chaos:

There have been widespread reports of election fraud. Here's one from Al Jazeera:

Worldview 11.29.11

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:30:00 -0600

After 33 years of rule, Yemen's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, handed over power to his deputy. Charles Schmitz, president of the American Institute of Yemeni Studies, says the move won't change much. This week, millions of Congolese voters headed to the polls despite widespread violence and reports of ballot stuffing, bribery and fraud. Worldview gets an update from Kambale Musavuli, student coordinator and spokesperson for Friends of the Congo. Also, Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other countries around the world often face horrific working conditions. Anis Hidayah, director of Jakarta-based Migrant Care, tells Worldview what's needed to protect Indonesians who cross borders to support themselves and their families.

Minerals in Congo used to make handheld devices fuel deadly conflict

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:59:00 -0500

MP3 players, smart phones and tablet computers have transformed the way many of us live and work. To make these gadgets, companies like Apple rely on certain minerals, many of which come from Eastern Congo. High demand has driven up the prices of these resources, and the resulting struggle to control them has turned bloody, leaving hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians dead.

The U.S. Congress is attempting to address the problem. Their solution is tucked into the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and it requires companies that source minerals from places like Eastern Congo to make their supply chains transparent. The Security and Exchange Commission is currently finalizing the regulations for this provision.

We discuss this legislation with Aaron Hall, a policy analyst with The Enough Project. He tells us how we, as ordinary consumers, can better grasp the issue of conflict minerals.

Worldview 9.20.11

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:41:00 -0500

This week, the United Nations is hosting its first ever high-level meeting to tackle non-communicable diseases, such as heart and lung disease, cancer and diabetes. Dr. Judith Mackay, an expert on international health policy who Time named one of the most influential people in the world, is attending the talks. She tells us what governments can do to give their citizens a better chance at life-long health. Also, the struggle to control Congo's natural resources, which include minerals needed to make laptop computers, MP3 players and countless other electronic devices, has fueled the world's deadliest conflict since World War II. We speak with Aaron Hall, a policy analyst with The Enough Project, about efforts to make the mineral supply chains in Congo transparent.

Photojournalist Lynsey Addario on her work in Congo, Afghanistan and being detained in Libya

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:00:00 -0500

Photojournalist Lynsey Addario has seen up close the results of repression and injustice. She also made the news last March when she and three other journalists were detained in Libya. Her work in Congo was produced as a fellow for Columbia College-Chicago’s Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media. For her fellowship, Lynsey was commissioned by the Institute to create portraits of survivors of gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Back in May, she stopped by the studio to discuss her career and work on the Institute’s travelling exhibition called Congo/Women Portraits of War.

Our discussion today with Lynsey is part of an ongoing collaboration between WBEZ and the Ellen Stone Belic Institute entitled: Gender, Human Rights, Leadership and Media. The Institute works closely developing projects with journalists, artists, human rights workers and activists across the world to investigate related global issues.

Photojournalist Lynsey Addario on her work in Congo, Afghanistan and being detained in Libya

Tue, 03 May 2011 16:11:00 -0500

May 3 is World Press Freedom Day. And in a statement today, U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, said, “When governments repress their people and shield themselves from scrutiny, press freedom is among the most powerful vehicles for exposing misdeeds and upholding public trust.”

Photojournalist Lynsey Addario has seen up close the results of repression and injustice. She also made the news recently when she and three other journalists were detained in Libya. Her work in Congo was produced as a fellow for Columbia College-Chicago’s Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media. For her fellowship, Lynsey was commissioned by the Institute to create portraits of survivors of gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She discusses her career and work on the Institute’s traveling exhibition called Congo/Women Portraits of War.

Our discussion today with Lynsey is part of an ongoing collaboration between WBEZ and the Ellen Stone Belic Institute entitled: Gender, Human Rights, Leadership and Media. The Institute works closely developing projects with journalists, artists, human rights workers and activists across the world to investigate related global issues.

EVENT

A Conversation with Award-Winning Photographer Lynsey Addario

Part of the 5th anniversary celebration of the Ellen Stone Belic Institute

Tuesday, May 3 at 6pm

Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash, 8th floor

Free

“Congo Princess” works to preserve Afro-Panamanian identity

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:07:00 -0600

An ethnic group known as the Congos have lived in Panama for centuries. They’re the descendants of slaves, many of whom fled to isolated islands to escape Spanish rule. Throughout the years, Congos have managed to preserve their unique Afro-Panamanian identity. But as they integrate into mainstream Panamanian life, their traditions are increasingly at risk. The World Vision Report’s Marlon Bishop brings us the story of one woman in Panama City working to keep the Congo culture alive.

This piece originally aired on the World Vision Report and was provided by the Public Radio Exchange.

BBC Documentary: Congo’s blood gold

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:43:00 -0600

The eastern Congolese forests located some 1200 miles from Kinshasa are host to some of the nation’s biggest mines, including gold. Congo’s President Joseph Kabila has imposed a ban on all mining in the eastern part of his country to try to stop the illegal mining and exploitation of ‘blood gold.’

The BBC’s Thomas Fessy went to the region to investigate allegations that a senior Congolese army general has been personally benefiting from the banned gold trade.

Global Activism: Helping war victims in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 19:41:00 -0600

Each Thursday we hear about an individual who’s decided to work to make the world a better place.

Amy Ernst has been volunteering with the Congolese organization COPERMA in North Kivu province in eastern Congo. The region has been ravaged by war and many of the victims are women. The United Nations estimates that at least 15,000 women were raped in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last year. Ernst tells us about her experience helping some of these victims.

You can read more about Amy's work in the DR Congo on her blog.