Trouble in the Congo

Three recent disastrous events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire, indicate that it may be approaching another meltdown point, not at all the first in its history.

The highly contagious disease Ebola has reappeared. The area where it has appeared is so remote and devoid of infrastructure that even Doctors Without Borders is having a hard time getting personnel and supplies into it.

The second event, potentially catastrophic in its implications, is the killing of two human rights workers.

The third disaster was the escape May 17 of perhaps as many as 4,200 prisoners from Makala prison, the main lock-up in Kinshasa, the DRC’s capital. An anti-government group attacked the prison to free its leader, Ne Muanda Nsemi, imprisoned by the government of President Joseph Kabila. In the disorder other prisoners, who include opposition figures, war criminals and assassins, escaped as well.

These incidents, across a country a quarter the size of the United States and with a population of 80 million, do not necessarily spell governmental collapse. On the other hand, the leaders of other African countries, supported at least tacitly by the rest of the world, concurred in Kabila’s postponing elections and extending his own rule beyond constitutional limits by a year.

At the moment, with the occurrence of the three recent incidents outside of and scornful of governmental authority, prospects for orderly, credible elections, a peaceful transition and even peace and quiet in the meantime do not look good at all. Kabila may try to use them as an excuse to stay on, reaching for “President for Life” status.