Reviewer: Kofi Akosah-Sarpong in Ottawa, Canada

"The book describes the expereince a huge Central African colonial country, suddenly plunged into independence in 1960, the first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba, being beset by rivals for central power and bouts of separatism. Lumumba was murdered in obscure circumstances. A UN peace-keeping force was rushed to the Congo to prevent the mineral-rich Katanga province breaking away from the republic. Hammarskjold, also died, on a mysterious mission on an aircraft (packed with arms and ammunition) that crushed," said the book jacket." After the departure of the United Nations, warlords struggled against one another until Mobutu triumphed, remaining executive president for many the USA and certain Western states during the Cold War period. Mobutu fended off his opponents, unearthed plots against him and defeated separatists’ invasions. Mobutu's name became synonymous with graft, corruption and skullduggery. In 1997 a Tutsi army supported by Rwanda and Uganda allies, declared war on Kabila, his successor, who had meanwhile gained the military support of Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Thus two central African coalitions, hostile towards each other, both with predatory intentions, have internationalized the brewing civil war in the Congo."

The above eak into the soul of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly called the Congo Republic and before that called Zaire, a sign of unstable entity, if psycho-journalism is anything to go by, shows that nothing has actually changed from 1960 to today, if not things getting worse--the same bickering and wrangling, the same stupidity, the same egomaniacs, the same unAfrican attitudes, the same hatred and tribalism, the same looting, the same divisiveness and mayhem, the same lack of consensus and co-operation, the same wars and its internationalization, the same thinking ( no more, no less), the same danger living in such a country, the same treachery and deceit, the same hunger and generally terrible poverty, the same accusations that the Zairean problem is externally induced and not internal one, the same mentality, the same immorality and loose lives, and the same gullibility and superstition ( children accused by their family for witchcraft practices are killed by their own family, some thrown out onto the streets of Kinshasa to die).

To read this book, as an African or any properly formed human being, is to weep and feel bad for the people of Zaire, rich in world-class minerals and other natural resources but is one of the poorest countries in the world, steeped in never-ending misery and dark forces since independence. Wrote Ruth Nelson, a journalist from Chicago, Illinois, USA, who had covered Zaire before, "Edgar O'Ballance gives an even-handed account of the tragic histroy of the Congo from its independence to 1998. Talk about a country that never got a break--from Belgium colonizers, cold-war intrigues, tribal rivalries, mercenaries and despots. As a journalist who has covered the country since 1960 and has interviewed a number of the major power-brokers, O'Ballance leads the reader through the timeline in detail and dept--though maybe more than a newcomer to the subject can initially grasp. This is an especially timely piece for anyone who wants to understand not only the complexities of the current war in the Congo, but also the troubles in neighbouring countries, Rwanda and Burundi."

So how did this immensely huge country come to assume such terrible unstable psychic, finding it extremely difficult to exorcist itself from this long-running cyclical instability? To read this book is to see a country weak not only spiritually but also intellectually, despite its pretension--a country confused, directionless, rudderless and reeling in the setting of the Dark Ages. Prior to its independence troubles Zaire has been the 'farm' of Belgium, no more than the now defunct South African apartheid system. The coming of Patrice Lumumba, said by the author to be a controversial and charismatic figure, as Prime Minister did not help matters. In July 1960, just a few days after independence, the mineral-rich Katanga Province declared Unilateral Declaration of Independence; the UN dispatched diplomats and troops to control matters but to avail. Warlords battled each other, seeing General Mobutu, a former Belgium trained journalist, emerged victorious and ruled till 1997. The chronology from 1872 to today, reveals which has not found its feet.

Despite his 'Africanization' sing songs, which was more cosmetic than real, if recent debate of African-centred reconstruction of the African nation-sates is anything to go by, Mobutu tried for 30 years to unsuccessfully contain alternative unofficial governments and governments-in-exile, of secessionist attempts by breakaway factions, mini invasions, and plots. The 250 ethnic groups ( the book says wrongly that there their 70 ethnic groups) could not be united, despite Mobutu's pretensions, seeing in April,1997 his overthrow in an armed insurrection. The man who came after Mobutu, Laurent Kabila, have still not being able to bring anything Africanly conceivable, disappointing his supporters, the Tutsis. In September 1998 the Tutsis set up a breakaway state in eastern Congo, based in Goma, with the help and support of Rwanda and Uganda. Here O'Ballance gives vivid analysis of the forces at play, which are no more or less that what prevailed during the 30 plus years of Mobutu.

After taking us through the political history of this huge and complex country, covering an area of 900,000 square miles, the second largest country in Africa ( the author thinks Zaire was the second largest country in Africa since the eastern front has been broken away by the Tutsis), O'Ballance offers a bleak prospect for Zaire. The reasons, says O'Ballance, is that the DRC army, whose number have been dwindling either due to defections or defeats or low moral or questionable reliability lack the capacity to contain any westward Tutsis advancement, let alone crush the Tutsi insurgents. Writes O'Ballance, "Some considered that a Tutsi victory was a foregone conclusion and that the government forces would collapse. In the meantime, the Tutsi army pushed slowly forward to take the entire area that they claimed comprised their traditional territory."

All this points to the old talks of the need for strong leader who has the ability to unite this vast country in the interest of national unity--" a leader who could persuade the Congolese to rise above tribalism and regionalism, and who could develop a loyal and efficient civil service, as well as loyal and effective defence forces." O'Ballance offers that the DRC war has generated confidence and superiority complex among some of the states, making them look outwards from their borders, and being tempted to meddle in the internal affairs of other states. "One fears there may be too much of this in the region, arousing old fears and prejudices that are inconducive to peace and tranquility. Unfortunately war clouds still hovers the Congo, where tribalism is clashing with nationalism on the battlefield."