History+-+Poverty+-+FA11


 * Somalian History: **

Britain began gaining interest in Somalia around 1839. They were using an area in Southern Arabia as a coaling station and saw Somalia as a good source of food and resources. Later, France and Italy also gain interest in the Somalia area for coaling stations as well. These are the three main groups competing for Somalia (and Ethiopia joins the fight later on). In 1888, France and Britain split the territory, and France’s land later becomes the independent country of Djibouti. Italy and Ethiopia fight over a larger section, and that leads to a war in 1896, where Italy is defeated. Italy comes back in 1923, with a new fascist leader, in an attempt to defeat Ethiopia. Britain withdraws in 1940, but comes back in 1941 and takes over almost all of Somalia, forcing the Italians out. However, after all of these issues, by 1948, the boundaries reverted to what they were originally, with each country having their own little section. After all of this fighting, in 1960 the British and Italian territories gain their independence as Somalia. The French territory gains independence in 1977 as Djibouti. After independence, there are large groups of Somali groups stuck in other countries, which led to many issues, such as the need for aid. The lack of this affected their poverty. Future presidents of Somalia try to impose an all-powerful government, not giving the people any voice, which leads to the people not getting what they need, and ending in poverty. The people fight back and by 1988 there is a full scale war going on, and Siad is ovethrown. This war causes many problems. In 1992, most of Somalia’s crops are destroyed, sending the whole region into poverty and famine. Food that is brought in is raided by fighting militias. By December, the UN intervenes because of how big the problem was. Through the rest of the decade, and into the 2000s, the issue gets worse, with fighting groups trying to take over power. The European takeover led to all of these future conflicts, and ultimately to the vast poverty that is present in Somalia.

__People Involved:__

1. Emperor Menelik II became the Ethiopian emperor in 1889 and he joins the fight over Somalia. He increased interest in Somalia, but ultimately negatively affected the territory. 2. Mohammed ibn Abdullah lead a massive uprising in the British territory of Somalia, and it took almost 20 years to get him out of power. He negatively impacted the territory. 3. Benito Mussolini was the facist leader of Italy who tried to completely take over the territory. He negatively impacted the area, bringing ideas which were not good. 4. Muhammed Egal was the first president of the independent Somalia. He negatively affected the country with his authoritarianism rule, but was assassinated several months later. 5. Mohamed Siad Barre took over power when Egal was killed and he introduced Marxist rule, which also negatively impacted the country and increased poverty.

**Congolese History:**  The Belgians gained control of the Congo area during the colonial period. The Congo was an expensive ordeal and King Leopold ll went through a great deal of trouble to fund his procuring of Congo, even getting loans from the Belgian government. Business was good and the king’s investment was well warranted and profitable. Problems arise in the Congo as rumors begin to circulate, saying that there is corruption and discrimination occurring in the Congo. What they find is terrible: people have been killed, villages destroyed, hands amputated, all disciplinary action because the indigenous people did not produce enough latex. People and other countries hear about the killings in the Congo and they investigate. Belgium is eventually pressured into cutting their ties in the Congo and leaving, but they are compensated for their sacrifices. Though the majority of the Belgians leave they leave behind a government, controlled by Brussels and a minister instead of the King. Primary exports change from latex to minerals. Mining companies flood in and begin to mine copper, diamonds, and many other minerals. During the second World War they stay loyal to their Belgian government who is overtaken by the Germans. Although they had economic trouble in the 1930s as well, they were big providers to the Allied side of things of the war. The Congolese, both whites and blacks, don’t have a say in the government and that begins to wear on them. Once they’ve had enough, riots begin to break out and by the summer of 1960 rolls around the Congo declares its independence. Belgians run into more problems when the Belgian officers still in the army are kicked out. Violence against the whites erupts and many Belgians flee. The Congolese try to take the area of Katanga back and the Russians get involved, which could spark problems up (it occurred during the Cold War). U.N. and the CIA get involved to keep the peace. A military uprising occurs and Mobutu kicks out Kasavubu (the old president) and sets up a dictatorship. When people from Katanga threaten his rule he attacks them and recaptures the area but not without many skirmishes. Mobutu’s time in office angered the people, so they wish for a new leader and they get one. Tshiekedi becomes the prime minister. After constant arguing over who has the power, the prime minister or the president, the World Bank names the country bankrupt. Then the Rwandan Genocide occurs and thousands are killed and the already bad economy of Congo crumbles. During these skirmishes Mobutu gets overthrown by Kabila. The country’s name changes from Zaire back to the original Democratic Republic of the Congo. But still the problem of Katanga trying to become independent. Civil war erupts as people don’t like Kabila’s actions in office, but he gets outside help to put down the rebellion. The civil war becomes an international feud when Uganda and Rwanda get involved along with the assassination of Kabila. Problems with economy, food, sanitation, and warring tribes still exist to this day. The constant fighting and other problems led to a shortage of food, among other problems.

__People Involved:(Conglolese History)__ - **King Leopold ll ** was the first European power in the region and claimed it for himself. He was after the resources, at the time Latex was the big thing. He had a negative impact because the people sent to collect the resources were brutalizing the indigenous people. - **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Roger Casement **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is sent to check out the supposedly bad situation. He finds terrible things happening to the natives. He had a positive impact because he was the first to report the atrocities that were occurring in the Congo and brought it to everyone’s attention. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Joseph Kasavubu **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is the leader who gained them independence from Belgium. He had a seemingly positive affect of the Congo because he got them independence from the “evil” Belgians. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mobutu Sese Soku **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">undermines Both Kasavubu (president) and Lumumba (prime mininister) but allows Kasavubu to remain president. Lumumba is killed. Mobutu becomes the Commander of Army. He had a positive affect by ridding Lumumba and eventually Kasavubu, but his dictatorship wasn’t very well liked. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Laurent Kabila **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> seizes power and isn’t well liked. He changes the name back to The Democratic Republic of the Congo from Zaire and struggles to keep Katanga from seceding. I guess he had a negative impact because he was eventually assassinated. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-**Joseph Kabila** Laurent Kabila’s son is his fathers successor. So far he has had a positive impact by settling disputes with Rwanda and the Congo and doing so at such a young age of about 30. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">