The Democratic Republic of Congo is a vast country with vast potential - but it remains poor, poorly governed and wracked by violence in the east. National elections are scheduled for November but there are growing concerns about the process and about the likelihood of legitimate elections. If the polls are flawed, then Congo could well slip back into political conflict and more widespread violence.
Already almost two thirds of the population live below the poverty line, while most people have no access to basic services, such as health, education, water and justice - in a country boasting a wealth of minerals and natural resources.
Indeed, Congo's natural resources have been at the heart of much of the violence that has wrecked so much of the country - and so many people's lives, particularly in the 1990s. The most destructive of these conflicts began in August 1998 and officially ended in July 2003 when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power (though insecurity and related mass sexual crimes continue to this day). The largest war in modern African history, it directly involved eight African nations, as well as about 25 armed groups. By 2008 the war and its aftermath had killed 5.4 million people, mostly from disease and starvation, making it the deadliest conflict since World War II. Millions more were displaced from their homes or lost their livelihoods.
The end of the official conflict and the subsequent internationally-funded and supervised elections of 2006 provided some hope. But today the human rights situation in the DRC remains a cause for serious concern. Serious violations, such as arbitrary executions, rape, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment are pervasive, committed mostly by the army, police and intelligence services. Human rights defenders and journalists have been targeted on many occasions - with many being killed over the past five years. The most notorious case - the murder of Floribert Chebey, Director of Voice of the Voiceless, in 2010 - did end in the arrest and conviction of police officers, but abuses continue.
Meanwhile, various armed groups continue to operate in the east of the country, where they - and Congolese soldiers - act with impunity, perpetrating murders, robberies and subjecting women to mass rapes and other violent sexual attacks.
Despite declarations by the authorities, hardly any progress has been made in the fight against impunity. Prolonged pre-trial detention periods, dilapidated detention centres, and the lack of food and medical supplies are common throughout the DRC's correctional system.
Other challenges facing the country include security sector reform, fostering a culture of accountability within the resource extraction sector, securing a lasting peace, fighting corruption amongst public officials and strengthening the institutions of the state.
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