Charlayne Hunter-Gault presents a backgrounder, followed by a discussion with two Africa experts. A RealAudio version of this NewsHour segment is available. Read the Online NewsHour Forum on Zaire, which includes backgrounders and links. Central Africa s biggest and potentially richest country, Zaire, is teetering on the brink of disintegration. Nearly a million thirsty and starving refugees are on the move.
Rebels are in control of the Eastern towns, and there is growing dissent in the rest of the country.
Much of the turmoil has been created by tribal warfare on the border with neighboring Rwanda and Burundi. In 1994, when the Hutu tribe controlled Rwanda, they launched an attempt to eradicate the rival minority Tutsis. There was massive bloodshed. But Tutsi fighters there eventually overthrew the Hutu government and took control of the country. Many Hutus then fled to Zaire and settled in refugee camps.