Republic of the Congo Civil War (1993–1994)

De **First** **Republic of de Congo Civil War,** wey people sana dey call de **First Brazzaville-Congolese Civil War,** be one fight wey happun for Republic of de Congo from 2 November 1993 go 30 January 1994. De gbege dey between rival militias wey Bernard Kolelas, former Prime Minister Pascal Lissouba plus former President Denis Sassou-Nguesso lead. Dis be de first one out of four big militia fights wey shake de country — e prepare ground for di oda ones wey happun for 1997, 1998–99 plus 2002. De main reason behind dis war na because dem no settle de gbege wey rise from election fraud accusation for de 1992 presidential election. Dis First Congo Civil War plus all de ten years of wahala wey follow am lead to more than 12,000 people wey die plus 860,000 people wey dem comot from dem homes.

## History of government insyd Congo-Brazzaville

### Post-independence
Just afta Congo-Brazzaville get independence for 1964, di kontri enter one "time of big confusion" wey military plus di leaders for de one-party government dey fight each oda. De gbege calm small when Colonel Denis Sassou-Nguesso take power for 1979. E rule like autocratic leader den bring some kind economic growth wey dey based on oil money, plus e patch back relationship plus France, wey be Congo dia former colonial master. Sassou-Nguesso manage maintain stability by givin government positions to big people from different parts of di kontri. But e sana turn di kontri into wetin people dey call "neopatrimonial rentier state" — dat one mean say e dey use oil money take dash allies plus pipo wey fit support am, in exchange for things like education plus work.

### 1992 elections den de push for democracy
Afta international pressure make Francophone kontries begin move toward democracy, President Sassou-Nguesso com resign for 1992. But instead of say di 1992 election go bring real democracy, many people see am as chance to grab control of di kontri oil money. Sassou-Nguesso run for di election to become head of di new government, plus Pascal Lissouba wey be former prime minister, den Bernard Kolelas wey be former politician, all contest. Na Lissouba win di election because e from di south wey get more population power pass di rest of di kontri.

### Government under Lissouba
Lissouba start rule coalition govment plus Sassou-Nguesso, wey get strong base but no get enough support to win de first election. But when Lissouba no gree follow Sassou ein rentier state style of govment, Sassou comot from de coalition. Lissouba no give any of Sassou ein people big-big position for cabinet, wey mean say Sassou no get access to key sources of oil rents den patronage again. As Sassou no dey support am, Lissouba struggle to hold power den go form ein own private security force to protect einsef. Di thing spoil fast as Kolelas see say Lissouba form militia, he too go form ein own from boys from where he dey come from, wey make ethnic wahala inside govment worse. For 1992, Lissouba react to Sassou ein walkout—wey make am lose most of ein parliament control—by scatter de parliament itself. Sassou call for new election for 1993, hopin say he go win strong to take full power. But Lissouba win forty-nine seats, den Kolelas plus Sassou-Nguesso gather sixty-two. Kolelas then boycott de second round of voting den tell ein people make dem no vote too, wey cause dem plus ein militia to start civil disobedience den violence, as he dey shout say dem cheat for de election.

## Militia fighting
Di fight start on 8 June 1993 as di militias begin clash steady, but instead of just face dem enemies, dem turn vex go local townships. Sassou-Nguesso ein Cobras plus Kolelas ein Ninjas mostly team up against Lissouba ein Cocoyes, but di violence no too follow one clear pattern. President Lissouba declare state of emergency on 16 July 1993. Ethnic wahala play big role for di fight, as many times e take shape as rape den brutal attacks against civilians. Lissouba den Kolelas no really get serious political ideology wey dem dey fight for, so dem use ethnicity den region matter to win support. Dem both use wetin dem call "ethnic chauvinism"—wey mean say dem take people dem tribe matter serious pass national unity—wey scatter di people more. Di official numbers show say inside dat six months fight, about 2,000 people die, 100,000 to 300,000 people run comot, den 13,000 houses burn or destroy. Dem stop di fight for 29 July 1993 after dem agree ceasefire. President Omar Bongo of Gabon plus Mohamed Sahnoun from Algeria, wey be special rep from Organization of African Unity (OAU), help settle dem wahala for Libreville, Gabon. Di Libreville Accord wey dem sign on 4 August 1993 try settle di parliament seat kasala den fix better election way forward. Lissouba lift di state of emergency on 15 August 1993.

## Effects of de war

### Immediate impact
Outside di direct den sad loss of life, property, plus freedom, di ten years fight wey start from di First Civil War bring heavy wahala to every corner of society for Republic of di Congo, especially for people wey already dey suffer or live under poverty line. By 2005, "two thirds of Congolese dey live below di poverty line," even though before 1993, na less than 30% dey that level. School attendance for both primary plus secondary level drop from 30% reach 51% inside that ten years, den di gap between how boys den girls dey go school even wide pass before. Di economy, wey dey depend on oil money wey govment dey control, just dey up den down as di whole country dey unstable.

### Effects today
Sassou-Nguesso still dey serve as president till today, as e come back to power as di main leader for di country since 1997. Right now, e dey insyd ein controversial third term after dem do referendum for 2015 to change di constitution so say e fit contest again even though e don pass 70 years plus e don already serve two full terms. Dem talk say e win di referendum with 92% of di votes, but many people begin ask questions about ein past den whether di election be correct or na fraud. Tens of thousands people gather for protest against di referendum for di capital city, den ein personal security kill four protesters. Di Ninja militia, wey still dey active from di 1992 conflict time, come clash plus di security forces. At least hundred people die den thousands run comot. Even with all dis gbege, Sassou-Nguesso still win dat election den di next one join, making am don rule for more than 36 years. Some African think tanks plus security experts talk say "plenty Congolese people don just accept say Sassou-Nguesso go win again." E don carry ein only two serious opponents for election put for jail—one of dem be Kolelas wey run against am since 1992. Di wahala from di 1992 civil war still dey cast shadow for di country, wey dey bring plenty issue for voting den still cause more violence.

## Relevant groups

### Union Pan-Africaine pour la Democratie Sociale (UPADS).
UPADS na Lissouba ein party, wey be di main backbone behind di Presidential Coalition. For small time, Sassou self support dem. Di main militias wey dey support UPADS den di Presidential Coalition be di Cocoyes plus di Ministerial Guard.

### Parti Congolais du Travail (PCT)
PCT be Sassou ein party, wey di Cobra militia dey support am direct. Funny enough, Lissouba ein distrust for di army no be baseless. Di army wey still dey led by mostly Northerners plus Sassou ein appointees no involve demma body for di fight until some years later. Dem no support Lissouba, but rather follow Sassou ein usual way of sidon make tins spoil before dem act.

### Mouvement congolais pour la démocratie et le développement intégral (MCDDI)
MCDDI na Kolelas ein party, wey di Ninja militia support am. Again, di militia mostly be Bakongo people, wey be di same ethnic group wey Kolelas come from.

## Sanso see

* Republic of the Congo Civil War (1997–1999)

## References