Movement for the Liberation of the Congo
Movement for the Liberation of the Congo Mouvement de libération du Congo | |
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National Assembly | 22 / 500
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Seats in the Senate | 14 / 108
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Website | |
http://www.mlc-rdc.org/ | |
The Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (French: Mouvement de Libération du Congo, or MLC)[a] is a political party in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Formerly a rebel group operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo that fought the government throughout the Second Congo War, it subsequently took part in the transitional government and is one of the main opposition parties.
Rebel years
During the war, the MLC was backed by the government of Rwanda and controlled much of the north of the country, in particular the province of Équateur. It was led by former businessman, Jean-Pierre Bemba, who became vice-president of the DRC following the 2002 Luanda Agreement. The headquarters of the MLC was located in the town of Gbadolite. The group was the primarily supported by Uganda during the war, while the rival Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) was dominated by Rwanda.
The Movement for the Liberation of the Congo is the main suspect for perpetrating Effacer le tableau, an ethnic cleansing against Pygmy peoples.[1]
The MLC was found guilty by the
Integration and post-war developments
As part of the Inter-Congolese dialogue, Brigadier General Malik Kijege of the MLC was named head of military logistics, while Major General Dieudonné Amuli Bahigwa was named head of the navy. Two of the DRC's ten military districts were also given to the MLC, and Bemba was allowed to appoint and dismiss the foreign minister of the DRC.
Bemba, as the MLC candidate, came second in the
Fighting broke out in
Following the killing of Daniel Botethi, a member of the MLC who was serving as Vice-President of the Provincial Assembly of Kinshasa, the MLC announced on July 6, 2008 that it was suspending its participation in the National Assembly, the Senate, and the Provincial Assembly of Kinshasa.[13] The MLC ended this boycott after a week.[14]
In the
On August 25, 2018, Bemba was barred from running for the presidency in the
As a result of Bemba's disqualification by CENI, the MLC and Bemba joined the Lamuka alliance on November 12, uniting with
The MLC entered into consultations with Tshisekedi in late 2020 to form a new government, the "Sacred Union of the Nation" coalition. [23] [24] The MLC announced its intent to join this coalition and form a government with Tshisekedi on January 20, 2021. [25] Subsequently, Martin Fayulu, the leader of the Lamuka alliance at the time, released the MLC of its obligations to the alliance on January 21, 2021.[26] The MLC received its cabinet postings in the new coalition, headed by Prime Minister Sama Lukonde, on April 13, 2021, receiving prominent ministerial roles, including Environment Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. [27] Following a cabinet reshuffle on March 23, 2023, MLC leader Bemba was appointed as Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. [28]
Notes
- ^ The MLC is also referred to as the Mouvement pour la Libération du Congo or Mouvement de Libération congolais.
Citations
- ^ Basildon Peta (January 9, 2003). "Rebels 'eating Pygmies' as mass slaughter continues in Congo despite peace agreement". The Independent.
- ^ a b "Situation In The Central African Republic In The Case Of The Prosecutor V. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo — Under Seal Urgent Warrant Of Arrest For Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo". International Criminal Court. May 23, 2008. ICC-01/05-01/08-1-tENG-Corr. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
- ^ "Former Congo rebel leader arrested for war crimes" Archived 2008-05-28 at the Wayback Machine, Xinhua, May 25, 2008.
- ^ "Former DR Congo leader arrested", BBC World News, 24 May 2008.
- ^ "Congo politician guilty in first ICC trial to focus on rape as a war crime". The Guardian. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
- ^ "Jean-Pierre Bemba: Congo warlord's conviction overturned". British Broadcasting Company. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ^ "Bemba fighters 'surrender'", Associated Press (IOL), March 28, 2007.
- ^ "DRC opposition party hits out at government", AFP (IOL), April 9, 2007.
- ^ "Bemba's party concerned about security", Reuters (IOL), April 14, 2007.
- ^ "RDCongo: les députés de Bemba réintègrent le siège saccagé de leur parti", AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), April 21, 2007 (in French).
- ^ Joe Bavier, "Bemba's MLC returns to parliament", Reuters (IOL), April 26, 2007.
- ^ "RDCongo: retour à l'Assemblée des députés de Bemba, rencontre avec Kabila jeudi", AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), April 25, 2007.
- ^ "The MLC suspends its participation in the National Assembly and the Senate", Le Potentiel (congoplanet.com), July 7, 2008.
- ^ Franz Wild, "Congo Murder Accused Alleges Governor Ordered Hit, Lawyer Says", Bloomberg.com, July 18, 2008.
- ^ Toyin Owoseje, [1], The Independent (independent.co.uk), August 25, 2018
- ^ a b c d [2], September 17, 2018.
- ^ Stephanie van den Berg [3], Thomson Reuters, Reuters.com, November 27, 2019.
- ^ Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban [4], AfricaNews.com, November 12, 2018.
- ^ [5], AfricaTimes.com, November 13, 2018
- ^ "RDC : après l'Assemblée nationale, le FCC de Kabila remporte la majorité absolue au Sénat". Archived from the original on 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2020-04-01.
- ^ a b "RDC : Félix Tshisekedi élu président, selon les résultats provisoires". 10 January 2019.
- ^ [6], AfricaNews.com, June 14, 2019.
- ^ [7], DigitalCongo.net, January 21, 2021
- ^ [8], VOA.com, April 13, 2021.
- ^ [9], DigitalCongo.net, January 21, 2021
- ^ [10], DigitalCongo.net, January 21, 2021
- ^ [11], VOA.com, April 13, 2021.
- ^ [12],ABCNews.go.com, March 24, 2023.
External links
- President names top officers for unified national military, 20 August 2003
- MLC, official website
- U.S. State Department, 04KINSHASA1753 FARDC on the move in Eastern DRC, 17 September 2004. Use of ex-MLC troops from Gbadolite in South Kivu.