The history of Congo, and the history of the Kivu region in particular, has been told in words, images and film by many people and many organisations.
Luminosity has no plan to add to this library. We have no agenda other than a wish to use our resources and capabilities to help people with their business on the ground, and to do so with awareness and integrity.
However, we would not be able to understand people’s needs and situations if we did not ask about the country’s history or actively take an interest in the context of their lives
Here are some references that we have found helpful in seeking to understand.
Websites
An excellent resource from Friends of Congo http://www.friendsofthecongo.org/index.php
Commentary by Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/africa/democratic-republic-congo
More commentary by journalists http://africanarguments.org/country/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/
Informed blogging from Jason Stearns and others http://congosiasa.blogspot.co.uk
Another excellent blog http://christophvogel.net
Campaigning by the Enough Project http://www.enoughproject.org/conflicts/eastern_congo
And http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org
Campaigning by Falling Whistles http://www.fallingwhistles.com
Interesting reports on armed groups from the Usalama project http://riftvalley.net/node/325#.UxYhzdwYJY4
There’s lots of stuff on Wikipedia including an exhaustive chronology of armed groups http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo
A site that inspires! http://www.localvoicesproject.com/about/
And another! http://mutaani.com
Youtube
Friends of Congo have produced several videos including this one on USA involvement http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLV9szEu9Ag
VICE have also produced videos including this visit to Kivu by a VICE reporter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYqrflGpTRE
There are also several insightful videos from Journeyman Pictures
Books
Congo by David Van Reybrouck
Dancing in the Glory of Monsters by Jason Stearns
In the footsteps of Mr Kurz by Michela Wrong
Congo by Thomas Turner
King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild