By: Emily Conway
A war intertwined with daily life, culture and tradition.
Colonization of the D.R.C. by British, Dutch, Portugese, French and Belgian merchants over a span of about 700 years helped together tradition with new ideas and beliefs. Over 50% of Congolese people identify themselves as Roman Catholic, 20% are Protestant, 10% are Kimbanguist, 10% are Muslim and 10% are other religion (CIA, 2014). The Roman Catholic church is very powerful in the D.R.C. and has a vast network of churches, schools and hospitals. This makes them a very prevalent source of power and wealth in the country, meaning that they can cause wars and control militia if they choose. On the more traditional side, many Congolese believe in witches and their power to cause illness and bad fortune. This belief leads to false accusations and executions of so-called witches. This may be due to a lack of education in sciences and many other vital areas. However, there isn't much opportunity for education in such things in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
With over half of the country's population living under the poverty line and surviving for under a dollar per day, farming is often the only option for Congolese men and women. Selling their crops, such as cassava root, banana, or oranges, for cash and trading with the indigenous people on the outskirts of the forest helps many to scratch out a meager living (Our Africa, 2012). This seemingly peaceful life is often interrupted by war and civil unrest. Many Congolese farmers must tend to their crop under fire, because fields and farms are prime fighting locations.