Congo Stories

Congo Stories

YA/Adult nonfiction
"When I talk about Congo in the United States, most people first
just want to know where the country is located. In Europe, however,
people know well where Congo is. This is probably because of the
colonial past linking Europe and Africa. You see, colonization was
not just about bringing religion and civilization to the 'barbaric'
indiginous people of Africa. In Congo, colonization was about
controlling and exploiting the strategic natural resources of a
country that could not defend itself from these outside forces. To
some extent, especially for ordinary Congolese people who are deeply
impacted by the violent exploitation of our natural resources, this is
still the case."
Now that I'm in grad school during the semester I normally
reserve non homework books for the commute to and from UMaine and a
little cat assisted reading before bed to help me sleep. But when I
picked up John Prendergast and Fidel Bafilemba's Congo Stories:
Battling Five Centuries of Exploitation and Greed I could not put it
down. It was literally that compelling a read. It gives Americans a
look at a complex and fascinating nation through three tightly braided
strands.
The first strand is the nation's history. For centuries America
and Europe have plundered Congolese resources: humans for the slave
trade, ivory, rubber, copper, gold, and the minerals without which we
can't have our ubiquitous electronic devices. Workers mining the
resources have been and are too often treated cruelly. Illicit
financial gains have fueled bloody civil wars replete with atrocities
such as mass rape and kidnapping children to be soldiers. The tide,
however, is turning with native activists, aided by allies in other
countries making strides toward peace and wellbeing.
The second strand is narratives: profiles of "upstanders" (in
contrast to bystanders) who risk their lives to "defend human rights,
press for peace, resist dictatorship, provide education, and prepare a
better future for their fellow Congolese." These stories are
incredible. People profiled have suffered atrocities most of us can't
imagine and gone on to fight and work for change. Honorato, for
example, was kidnapped by a militia and held as a sex slave for
fifteen months. When she was able to escape her husband resfused to
let her come back to their family. She works to help other survivors.
The third strand is Ryan Gosling's photographs of Congolese
people in everyday life: a toddler learning to walk, children playing,
students and a teacher in a classroom, couples, sleeping babies...
This was my favorite part of the book.
The authors of Congo Stories want us to disregard the narrative
that we have been fed by the if it bleeds, it leads media--that the
Congo is hopelessly broken, a cesspool of death and depravity, and
whites are the all knowing saviors. The Congo has resources including
forests that contribute to the health of the planet and a strong,
resilient people rising up to create a more peaceful, prosperous
future for their beloved nation. We may and must help in ways that
respect their agency and autonomy...
...such as making sure that the companies that make our
electronics gain minerals in ways that don't finance civil war and
human rights atrocities.
"This is our challenge: To help tell the whole truth about
Congo and its people. And to believe that there is hope based on that
truth. And to demand from our political leaders and the companies we
buy products from that they support positive change and partner with
Africans as equals in an interconnected world."
On a personal note, in my assessment class we got back our final
drafts of our surveys. I was pleased and proud to get 28 out of 30 on
mine. I've only just begun with it. I am going to, in the not so far
off future, use it to do research on behalf of my beloved dining
services. That class is so inspiring! Every time we meet I come away
just dazzled by all the new possibilities.
A great big shout out goes out to my classmates and professor, all of
whom I learn a great deal from.
jules hathaway




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