The Democratic Republic of the Congo

The National Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

When Belgium managed to acquire the what was to become the Congo Free State, the first flag consisted of a blue field, with a simple gold star at the centre. The gold star supposedly shining the light of civilisation in this dark corner of the Congo. However, considering that the population was brutalised for the rubber plantations, it does ring hollow. This flag was used all the way through to independence from Belgium in 1960.

Upon independence, the flag was essentially kept. Though the shade was lightened up a little, and 6 smaller stars where added along the hoist of the flag. 1 for each of the 6 states that make up the new free Congo.

These early days, however, saw huge crises wrack the nation. The next 5 years saw interventions by outside powers, and internal conflicts. For example, in July 1960, the southern province of Katanga broke away, and only after heavy interference by the UN (militarily and politically) that ended its secession. The adopted flag was split between red and white, by a diagonal green band. In the white half, 3 small red crosses. The red stood for power, green for hope, white for peace, and the red crosses for prosperity.

Once the Congo was brought back under unified control (somewhat) a new flag was instituted. With Mobutu in power now, the new flag continued with the blue, kept the gold star, but now featured a red diagonal stripe edged in gold. The gold symbolised prosperity, the red, blood, blue, peace, and the star, for unity. 

In 1965, Motubu took complete control and turned the nation over to a dictatorship. He then tweaked the flag, making the red stripe a little wider.

In 1971, Mobutu renamed the nation as the Republic of Zaire, and began a policy of Africanisation. Western clothing styles where banned, people with Western style names had to adopt African ones, and many industries where nationalised. Then subsequently handed to family and friends who proceeded to loot the nation. As part of the Africanisation of the Congo, he instituted yet another flag.

The new flag was a green field with a yellow disc. On the disc is an African arm, holding a torch of liberty.

This flag was in use all the way through until 1997, when he was overthrown by Laurent-Desire Kabila during the First Congo Civil War, backed by Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda. Eastern Tutsi's, for so long, oppressed by Motubu had been ordered to leave Zaire, on pain of genocide, finally broke in open revolt. Linking up with many other anti-Motubu forces, they marched on the capital. The Zaire army, used to crushing dissent, was unable to defend such a large nation, crumbled, and the capital, Kinshasa, fell to the opposition forces in 1997. The nation was re-named as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

To mark the rebirth of the nation, there was a new flag. A return to the one used back at the nations independence, with a slight change in the shade of blue used.

In 1998, a second Congo Civil war broke out, leading to President Kabile being assassinated in 2001. His son, Joseph, took power, and called for negotiations for peace. The negotiations failed, leading to further clashes. 

Finally, by 2003, with help from other SADC member nations, foreign troops where leaving the Congo, and vaarious ethnic groups where signing up to a new peace accord. Finally, with a new constitution taking effect, a new flag came in. This time, reverting back to the flag used in 1966. This time, with a lighter shade of blue.