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Shaba I was a conflict in
Zaire Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...
's Shaba (Katanga) Province lasting from 8 March to 26 May 1977. The conflict began when the Front for the National Liberation of the Congo (FNLC), a group of about 2,000 Katangan Congolese soldiers who were veterans of the
Congo Crisis The Congo Crisis () was a period of Crisis, political upheaval and war, conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville), Republic of the Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The crisis began almost ...
, the
Angolan War of Independence The Angolan War of Independence (; 1961–1974), known as the Armed Struggle of National Liberation (Portuguese: ''Luta Armada de Libertação Nacional'') in Angola, was a war of independence fought between the Angolan nationalist forces ...
, and the
Angolan Civil War The Angolan Civil War () was a civil war in Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. It was a power struggle between two for ...
, crossed the border into Shaba from
Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
. The FNLC made quick progress through the region because of the sympathizing locals and the disorganization of the Zairian military ('' Forces Armées Zaïroises'', or FAZ). Travelling east from Zaire's border with Angola, the rebels reached Mutshatsha, a small town near the key mining town of Kolwezi. Zairian President
Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa za Banga ( ; born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu; 14 October 1930 – 7 September 1997), often shortened to Mobutu Sese Seko or Mobutu and also known by his initials MSS, was a Congolese politician and military officer ...
accused Angola,
East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
,
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
and the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
of sponsoring the rebels. Motivated by
anticommunism Anti-communism is Political movement, political and Ideology, ideological opposition to communism, communist beliefs, groups, and individuals. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, and it reached global ...
and by economic interests, both the
Western Bloc The Western Bloc, also known as the Capitalist Bloc, the Freedom Bloc, the Free Bloc, and the American Bloc, was an unofficial coalition of countries that were officially allied with the United States during the Cold War (1947–1991). While ...
and
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
sent assistance to support the Mobutu regime. The most significant intervention, orchestrated by the
Safari Club The Safari Club was a covert alliance of intelligence services formed in 1976 that ran clandestine operations around Africa at a time when the United States Congress had limited the power of the CIA after years of abuses and when Portugal was d ...
, featured a French
airlift An airlift is the organized delivery of Materiel, supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft. Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material lo ...
of Moroccan troops into the war zone. The intervention turned the tide of the conflict.Chris Cook and John Stevenson. ''The Routledge Companion to World History Since 1914'', 2005. 321–322. US President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...
approved the shipment of supplies to Zaire but refused to send weapons or troops and maintained that there was no evidence of Cuban involvement. The FAZ terrorized the population of the province during and after the war. Bombing and other acts of violence led 50,000 to 70,000 refugees to flee into Angola and
Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...
.
Journalists A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...
were prevented from entering the province, and several were arrested. However, Mobutu won a public relations victory and ensured continuing economic assistance from governments, the
International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution funded by 191 member countries, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is regarded as the global lender of las ...
, the
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...
and a group of private lenders led by
Citibank Citibank, N.A. ("N. A." stands for "National bank (United States), National Association"; stylized as citibank) is the primary U.S. banking subsidiary of Citigroup, a financial services multinational corporation, multinational corporation. Ci ...
. The FAZ and outside powers clashed again with insurgents in a 1978 conflict, Shaba II.


Background


Zaire

A former Belgian colony, the Congo gained independence during the
Year of Africa The Year of Africa refers to a series of events that took place during the year 1960—mainly the independence of seventeen African nations—that highlighted the growing Pan-Africanism, pan-African sentiments in the continent. The year brought a ...
. The
State of Katanga The State of Katanga (; ), also known as the Republic of Katanga, was a breakaway state that proclaimed its independence from Republic of Congo (Léopoldville), Congo-Léopoldville on 11 July 1960 under Moïse Tshombe, leader of the local CO ...
, led by
Moise Tshombe Moise is a given name and surname, with differing spellings in its French and Romanian origins, both of which originate from the name Moses: Moïse is the French spelling of Moses, while Moise is the Romanian spelling. As a surname, Moisè and Mo ...
, soon announced secession, supported by Belgian business interests, the Belgian military and indirectly by France."France Is Again Strengthening Ties With Zaire", ''New York Times'', 17 April 1977, p. E1; accesse
via ProQuest
"Although France did not officially support the secessionists, their leader, Moise Tshombe, employed French advisers and mercenaries and received support from the neighboring Government of Congo, a former French colony. ''Economic interests'': After the Kantanganese rebellion ended in 1963, France expended considerable aid and effort to improve relations with Zaire. French companies now have important mining interests in the country, producer of copper, cobalt and industrial diamonds."
The country was soon plunged into crisis after the assassination of its Pan-Africanist leader,
Patrice Lumumba Patrice Émery Lumumba ( ; born Isaïe Tasumbu Tawosa; 2 July 192517 January 1961) was a Congolese politician and independence leader who served as the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then known as the Republic o ...
. After six years of war, power was seized by
Joseph Mobutu Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa za Banga ( ; born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu; 14 October 1930 – 7 September 1997), often shortened to Mobutu Sese Seko or Mobutu and also known by his initials MSS, was a Congolese politician and military officer ...
, with help from the
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
(CIA) and support from the
Western Bloc The Western Bloc, also known as the Capitalist Bloc, the Freedom Bloc, the Free Bloc, and the American Bloc, was an unofficial coalition of countries that were officially allied with the United States during the Cold War (1947–1991). While ...
. Mobutu changed the name of Katanga Province to Shaba Province, after the Swahili word for copper. Mobutu's Zaire maintained good relations with Western powers. Belgium had the largest investments in the country (worth $750 million to $1 billion), followed by the United States ($200 million) and France ($20 million). Franco-Zairian relations were improving, and the Zaire government had recently been snubbing Belgium for France by awarding the country a $500 million telecommunications contract in 1975. The contract, negotiated by French President Giscard d'Estaing, went to
Thomson-CSF Thomson-CSF was a French company that specialized in the development and manufacture of electronics with a heavy focus upon the aerospace and defence sectors of the market. Thomson-CSF was formed in 1968 following the merger of Thomson-Hous ...
International with finances from the Banque Française du Commerce Extérieur, both institutions headed by members of Giscard d'Estaing's family. When Mobutu asked for international assistance, it was France that organised the military response. Zaire received more military aid from the United States than any other sub-Saharan nation, the $30 million of annual assistance representing half of all military aid to the area. Zaire was the world's primary exporter of
cobalt Cobalt is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Co and atomic number 27. As with nickel, cobalt is found in the Earth's crust only in a chemically combined form, save for small deposits found in alloys of natural meteoric iron. ...
and sourced 60% of the global supply. The country also exported 7% of world copper and 33% of industrial diamonds. Many of the mines for these resources were in Shaba,"Getting Involved: The U.S. Aid for Zaire Was Small But Significant", ''New York Times'', 20 March 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
and the copper mines in the area provided 65–75% of the country's overall wealth from imports.


FNLC

The FNLC had mostly
Lunda people The Lunda (''Balunda'', ''Luunda'', ''Ruund'') are a Bantu peoples, Bantu ethnic group that originated in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo along the Kalanyi River and formed the Kingdom of Lunda in the 17th century under their rule ...
, the ethnicity of many people in Katanga which was renamed Shaba in 1972. In 1976, it began to recruit youth in Katanga to join its fighting force.


Formation

Included in the invading force was a small remnant of the Katangan gendarmes that had supported the secession of Katanga from 1960. When
Joseph Kasa-Vubu Joseph Kasa-Vubu, alternatively Joseph Kasavubu, ( – 24 March 1969) was a Congolese politician who served as the first President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the Republic of the Congo until 1964) from 1960 until 1965. A member of ...
recalled the Katanganese leader Moise Tshombe from exile in 1964, elements of the force had been incorporated into the Armee Nationale Congolaise (ANC) to help fight the insurrections simmering throughout the country. After Tshombe disappeared from the political scene, the Katangan contingent mutinied in 1966 and again in 1967. When the uprisings failed, most of the contingent left for Angola under Nathaniel Mbumba's leadership. During the late 1960s, the former gendarmes began to congregate in Angola along Zaire's southern border, and in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, they fought for the Portuguese against Angolan nationalist movements. After the Portuguese left in 1975, the Katangan gendarmes fought for the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in the
Angolan Civil War The Angolan Civil War () was a civil war in Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. It was a power struggle between two for ...
. The MPLA won control of the country and provided the gendarmes with relative autonomy in their area on the border with Zaire. The group, about 4000 people total of whom 2000 were deemed able to fight, formed the Front for the National Liberation of the Congo (FNLC) and styled itself as
left-wing Left-wing politics describes the range of Ideology#Political ideologies, political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy either as a whole or of certain social ...
.


Cuban involvement

The FNLC had earlier asked Cuba directly for assistance but it declined since it was already seeking to withdraw from Angola and was not convinced of the FNLC's sincerity. The extent of the MPLA's support for the invasion is unclear; it did not seem provide much direct assistance but also did not act to prevent the attack. Cuba did not support the FNLC in the invasion.


Invasion

The invaders launched a three-pronged attack on 8 March 1977, crossing the Angola–Zaire border on bicycles.Odom, ''Shaba II'' (1993), p. 17. No casualties were reported in the first week after their arrival."Zaire preparing major push to confront Shaba guerrillas", ''Baltimore Sun'' (AP), 14 March 1977; accesse
via ProQuest


Zaire's response

Mobutu condemned the invasion and said on 10 March that Kissenge, Dilolo and Kapanga had been "bombed" by "mercenaries". He accused the Cuban government of involvement and requested assistance from Western powers.Gleijeses, "Truth or Credibility" (2010), p. 75. The US embassy confirmed that the towns had been captured and announced that eight American missionaries in Kapanga were under house arrest. The actions of Zaire's armed forces, the FAZ, were largely ineffective. The first unit to make contact, the 11th Brigade of the Kaymanyola Division, was newly trained, and it fell apart soon after it had met the FNLC force. However, the popular uprising hoped for by the FNLC also did not materialize. Although most towns preferred the FNLC forces to the government army, people were generally afraid of violence and stayed home.Odom, ''Shaba II'' (1993), p. 28.


International response


United States

On 15 March, the United States sent 35 tons of communications equipment and medical supplies, and other materials, worth a total of $2 million, by using chartered DC-8s."U.S. Flies Communication, Medical Supplies to Zaire: Responds to Appeal for Aid in Invasion", ''Los Angeles Times'' (AP), 15 March 1977; accessed via ProQuest. President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...
, in his first year of office, was less enthusiastic about Mobutu than his predecessors had been and decided against sending weapons or troops. He also stated that there was no evidence to substantiate Cuban involvement and maintained that position throughout the conflict. Officials of
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
agreed. The State Department accused the Angolan government of providing the rebels with "logistic support" but maintained that there was "no hard evidence" of Cuban support. The U.S. House Committee on International Relations questioned the importance of aid and moved to halve Zaire's arms credits from $30 million to $15 million. Americans were evacuated from the area. Secretary of State
Cyrus Vance Cyrus Roberts Vance (March 27, 1917January 12, 2002) was an American lawyer and diplomat who served as the 57th United States Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1980. Prior to serving in that position, he was the United ...
sought to justify the aid based on the importance of copper and cobalt mining. Announcements seeking to hire American mercenaries to fight in Zaire appeared in California. A man, David Bufkin, was identified as doing the recruiting. The announcements were later traced to the
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
(CIA)CIA Held Having Mercenaries Role", ''Hartford Courant'', 17 April 1977; accesse
via ProQuest


Other countries

Belgium sent weapons to the Zaire government"Giscard sends 11 planes to aid Zaire fight in Shaba", ''Baltimore Sun'' (AP), 11 April 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
but declined Mobutu's request for military assistance. China sent 30 tons of weapons. France sent weapons and ammunition. Sudanese President Gaafar Nimiery announced in April 1977 that Sudan would provide aid to Zaire. The US asked for Nigeria's help with diplomatic mediation between Zaire and Angola. Nigeria agreed but urged outside powers not to provide arms. Cuban President
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
denied that Cuba was involved in the conflict and called Mobutu "desperate" and the accusation being "a pretext to get military assistance from imperialism so he can continue to oppress the people of Zaire".


Banks

Zaire had already been overdue on its loan payments, and the conflict increased the uncertainty of international banks of its ability to repay. A group of 98 banks, led by
Citibank Citibank, N.A. ("N. A." stands for "National bank (United States), National Association"; stylized as citibank) is the primary U.S. banking subsidiary of Citigroup, a financial services multinational corporation, multinational corporation. Ci ...
, had agreed in November 1976 to offer Zaire a $250 million loan if the country promised to implement economic
austerity In economic policy, austerity is a set of Political economy, political-economic policies that aim to reduce government budget deficits through Government spending, spending cuts, tax increases, or a combination of both. There are three prim ...
. The banks hoped that the additional loan would help Zaire develop its economy and pay back the $400 million that it already owned.Ann Crittenden, "Bank Group Plans New Loan to Zaire: Banking Syndicate Is Planning New Loan to Zaire", ''New York Times'', 18 November 1977, p., 86; accesse
via ProQuest
The banks feared that the war would now bankrupt Zaire's government.Mark Frankland, "Why the banks are worrying about war", ''The Observer'', 15 May 1977, p. 6; accesse
via ProQuest
Citibank announced on behalf of the group that the loan would be suspended until Zaire could resolve its internal problems, which would have jeopardised repayment.


Invasion continues

The FNLC progressed into Katanga. In a battle in Kasaji on 18 March, the FAZ killed 15 of the FNLC soldiers and lost 4 of its own. On 25 March, the FAZ abandoned Mutshatsha, and the FNLC entered it. The town had railway access and was 130 km from the Kolwezi, home to the Musonoi Mine, a major source of
copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
for Gécamines. The capture of Mutshatsha led observers to perceive a serious threat from the invading force. (Despite its economic importance, Kolwezi was not particularly well-defended. A Belgian manager suggested: "No one would dare to touch us. We are essential to whoever governs this area, so we are not worried.") Americans in Kolwezi, mostly workers for Morrison-Knudsen, were evacuated. The perception of the rebels' power increased as reports suggested they were beginning to provide social assistance to local people in the Shaba province.Robin Wright, "Katanga Rebels Tighten Grip in Zaire", ''The Washington Post'', 7 April 1977, p. A16; accesse
via ProQuest
The FNLC began to establish a regional administration and to distribute identity cards for a nation called "The Democratic Republic of the Congo"."Moroccan Troops Make Their First Move in Zaire", ''Los Angeles Times'', 17 April 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
According to later reports from missionaries in the area, the rebels, whose primary agenda was freedom from Mobutu, not ethnic or tribal warfare, were welcomed by locals in Katanga. The government held a poorly-attended rally in a Kinshasa stadium. Soldiers prevented the already-small crowd from leaving afterward, and the rally ended when the crowd refused to applaud. Zaire launched bombing raids in the area, which it said were targeting the invaders. The Zairian Air Force used Mirage jets from France to bomb Kisengi, which it called the headquarters for the rebel uprising. Along with other residents, 28 missionaries from Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain fled from the bombing raids, eventually taking refuge in Angola.Jane Bergerol, "Civilians 'flee Zaire bombing'", ''The Guardian'', 30 April 1977, p. 1; accesse
via ProQuest
"Zaire Refugees Saw No Cubans, Angolans", ''Hartford Courant'', 1 May 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
Angola reported that Zaire had bombed its towns of Shilumbo and Camafuafa. The Zairian military claimed to have killed Russian, Portuguese and Cuban soldiers participating in the invasion. Zaire cut diplomatic ties with Cuba and then the Soviet Union. On a diplomatic visit to Washington, DC, Egyptian President
Anwar Sadat Muhammad Anwar es-Sadat (25 December 1918 – 6 October 1981) was an Egyptian politician and military officer who served as the third president of Egypt, from 15 October 1970 until Assassination of Anwar Sadat, his assassination by fundame ...
emphasised that claim to Carter, who maintained throughout the conflict that there was no evidence of outside involvement.Gleijeses, "Truth or Credibility" (2010), p. 77."'It will Definitely Not Have an Adverse Impact on Jobs...'", ''Washington Post'', 23 April 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
/ref> King
Hassan II Hassan, Hasan, Hassane, Haasana, Hassaan, Asan, Hassun, Hasun, Hassen, Hasson or Hasani may refer to: People *Hassan (given name), Arabic given name and a list of people with that given name *Hassan (surname), Arabic, Jewish, Irish, and Scotti ...
of Morocco said he had "absolutely certain" proof that Cuban soldiers were fighting in Shaba.
Andrew Young Andrew Jackson Young Jr. (born March 12, 1932) is an American politician, diplomat, and activist. Beginning his career as a pastor, Young was an early leader in the civil rights movement, serving as executive director of the Southern Christia ...
, the US ambassador to the United Nations, urged calm by saying "Americans shouldn't get paranoid about communism" in Africa. Mobutu reproached the United States in a ''Newsweek'' interview and said that he was "bitterly disappointed by America's attitude" and "If you have decided to surrender piecemeal to the Soviet-Cuban grand design in Africa, I think you owe it to us and to your friends to have the frankness to admit it." Former National Security Advisor
Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (May 27, 1923 – November 29, 2023) was an American diplomat and political scientist who served as the 56th United States secretary of state from 1973 to 1977 and the 7th National Security Advisor (United States), natio ...
also blamed the Soviet Union: "Whatever the details of the current invasion of Zaire, it is clear that the attack took place across a sovereign border from a country in which the government was installed by Soviet arms and the military personnel of a Soviet client state. It could not have taken place—and it could not continue—without the material support or acquiescence of the Soviet Union—whether or not Cuban troops are present." China concurred, provoking unpleasantness with Soviet ambassadors in
Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
and later calling the FNLC invasion "a new offensive drive in the Soviet Union's political and military aggression in Africa". Meanwhile, Carter was also criticised for the support that he gave to Zaire, in contrast with his support for
human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...
. Senator
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, publicly opposed the US involvement and wrote in an op-ed:
In my judgment, U.S. involvement in Zaire defies justification. It is true that the U.S. has not utilized the full measure of resources available for Zaire, nor responded to Mobutu's requests for arms and ammunition. This restraint by the Administration is commendable, but if Mobutu qualifies for neither arms nor ammunition, then he should not qualify for any form of military assistance, lest the United States be drawn into the hapless conflict in Zaire, inch by inch.
John Stockwell, who grew up in Katanga, joined the CIA and eventually became the head of its Angola Task Force, publicly resigned his position, blaming the conflict on unsuccessful CIA interventions. In an open letter to CIA Director Stansfield Turner published in the ''Washington Post'', Stockwell argued that American intervention in Zaire and Angola was triggering a backlash in the
Third World The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the Southern Cone, NATO, Western European countries and oth ...
:B. K. Josh, "Zaire Again on the Rack: Sordid Franco-U. S. role", ''Times of India'', 22 April 1977; accessed via ProQuest. "In death umumbabecame an eternal martyr and by installing Mobutu in the Zairian presidency we committed ourselves to the 'other side', the losing side in central and southern Africa. We cast ourselves as the dull-witted Goliath, in a world of eager young Davids." Stockwell expanded on his claims of CIA abuses in a 1978 book titled ''In Search of Enemies''. Carter acknowledged problems with human rights in Zaire but said that "our friendship and aid historically for Zaire has not been predicated on their perfection in dealing with human rights."Gleijeses, "Truth or Credibility" (2010), p. 79.


Confusion and censorship

Journalists reported confusion and difficulty with finding credible information.David Lamb, "Data Remains Scant On Katangan Attack In Remote Zaire Area", ''Washington Post'', 30 March 1977, p. A19; accesse
via ProQuest
American news sources reported that Kolwezi had been captured but retracted that claim.Michael T. Kaufman, "Information on Fighting in Zaire Sometimes Conflicting and Wrong", ''New York Times'', 26 March 1977, p. 7; accesse
via ProQuest
Reportedly, even the CIA, which operated a station in Kinshasa, did not collect intelligence directly in the Shaba region. Reliable information became even more difficult to obtain after the FAZ abandoned Mutshatsha, and Mobutu declared the right to censor all news reports. The journalist Michael Goldsmith was expelled from Zaire on 4 April after reporting that the aforementioned rally in Kinshasa had been lackluster. More journalists were arrested, and films taken in Kinshasa were seized by the Zaire government. The press of Zaire ignored the Shaba conflict entirely. Meanwhile, the FNLC did not seem to have press contacts.


Zairian military

Mobutu relieved Colonel Salamaya, whom he had placed in charge of defending Shaba six days earlier, and soon relieved Salamaya's replacement.Odom, ''Shaba II'' (1993), p. 19. Mobutu blamed the success of the rebel attack on high-ranking traitors in the Forces Armées Zaïroises, the Zairian military. FAZ casualties remained low, with many FAZ forces apparently unwilling to fight. Many of the Zairian soldiers had not recently been paid, and numerous reported desertions and defections occurred.Michael T. Kaufman, "Zairian Troops Said to Abandon Key Headquarters Town in Shaba", ''New York Times'', 28 March 1977, p. 15; accesse
via ProQuest
One missionary reported FAZ soldiers intentionally wounding themselves to avoid battle. A Belgian engineer in Kolwezi, discussing the apparent unpreparedness of its FAZ forces, told a reporter: "Ah, it's an African war. What can you expect? If the Katangans get really close, many of these soldiers will run anyway. All it takes is a loud bang, and off they go."Robin Wright, "Zaire's defenders dozing in tropical sun", ''Boston Globe'', 27 March 1977, p. 22; accesse
via ProQuest


Safari Club intervention

On 7 April, plans were announced to support the government of Zaire with Moroccan troops. The operation was co-ordinated by a covert multinational organization, the
Safari Club The Safari Club was a covert alliance of intelligence services formed in 1976 that ran clandestine operations around Africa at a time when the United States Congress had limited the power of the CIA after years of abuses and when Portugal was d ...
, an anticommunist alliance including France, Morocco, Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia. On 9 April, Moroccan troops were airlifted into Kolwezi on eleven French
Transall C-160 The Transall C-160 is a military transport aircraft, produced as a joint venture between France and Germany. "Transall" is a German abbreviation of the manufacturing consortium ''Transporter Allianz'', comprising the companies of Messerschmitt- ...
s from the network of French bases remaining on the African continent. Egypt also provided 50 pilots and technicians, who operated
Mirage A mirage is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French ''(se) mirer'', from the Latin ''mirari'', mean ...
fighter jets from the Zairian Air Force. France also assisted the FAZ with additional Mirage planes, Panhard Véhicule Blindé Légers and
Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter designed and originally produced by the French aerospace manufacturer Sud Aviation. The Puma was developed as a new design during the mid-1960s in r ...
helicopters. After Western military support had arrived in Kolwezi, Zambia said that Zaire had bombed the village of Shingamjunji Mangango and the Kaleni Hill mission hospital. Angola also reported a naval attack.


Diplomacy and media

A French liaison was deployed to co-ordinate with the Zairian forces. The French operation (codename "Verveine"),Van Nederveen, ''USAF Airlift into the Heart of Darkness'' (2004), p. 47. was commanded by Colonel Yves Gras, the head of the French Military Mission in Zaire. Morocco provided 1,300 to 1,500 combat troops, Egypt contributed pilots and technical support and Saudi Arabia backed the operation financially.Odom, ''Shaba II'' (1993), p. 25. Moroccan troops increased the perception that the operation was internal to Africa,Odom, ''Shaba II'' (1993), p. 26. with Zaire originally announcing that Morocco and "another African country" were coming to its assistance. The American government also described the intervention as intra-African, with Carter announcing, "We are not taking a position on such action by one African state at this point in response to requests for aid from another African state. Our position on outside intervention is well known. We are against such intervention. The affairs of Africa should be settled by Africans." Some African states, particularly former colonies of France, supported Zaire diplomatically.
Idi Amin Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 30 May 192816 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 until Uganda–Tanzania War, his overthrow in 1979. He ruled as a Military dictatorship, ...
and a symbolic "suicide striking force" of the Ugandan military visited Kolwezi in late April and then flew back to Uganda. Uganda was the third African country to discuss the possibility of sending soldiers to help Zaire. The French announcement that it would provide the airlift, made on 10 April "came as a surprise to all observers."Andreas Freund, "France airlifting Moroccan soldiers to help out in Zaire: Unexpected Announcement Asserts Paris Made Decision to Aid Fight Against 'Outsiders'", ''New York Times'', 11 April 1977, p. 1; accesse
via ProQuest
President Giscard d'Estaing emphasised France's independence in conducting the operation and specified that the US had not been consulted. The US announced an additional $13 million of aid, including a C-130 transport plane, communications equipment, fuel and spare parts. Andrew Young, who advised restraint throughout the conflict, said that the US was trying to "align ourselves with the... concept of territorial integrity in Zaire, and of self-determination by the people of Zaire, but not get ourselves in the military conflict." Carter continued to state that there was no evidence of Cuban involvement. He acknowledged that Zaire was not a "defender of human rights" and said that "our military aid for Zaire has been very modest". The South African Bureau of State Security was also in contact with Zaire and provided fuel and money.
West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
sent $2 million worth of medicine and food."W. Germany Sends Zaire Aid as Invaders Claim Big Win", ''Hartford Courant'' (AP), 15 April 1977; accessed via ProQuest.


Initial reactions

The FNLC began to make contact with the press and issued several announcements. A representative of the Katanganese rebels, speaking in Paris, criticised the intervention as economically self-serving: "the stake of French multinationals such as Alsthom and Thomson, and concessions for prospecting the mineral riches" had led France to support "a corrupt regime". Jean Tshombé, son of former Katanganese secessionist leader Moise Tshombé, also criticised the intervention and reaffirmed that Angola, Cuba and the Soviet Union were not involved. The FNLC then announced specific military successes and said that it had defeated Zairian military forces 15 miles from Kolwezi and seized vehicles and weapons. It also claimed to have killed two French soldiers, a claim quickly denied as impossible by France, which said that no French soldiers were present. The group wrote a letter to the International Press Service:
In contrast with published statements of with published statements by President Giscard D'Estaing, French troops are directly involved in the fighting currently taking place in the Shaba province of Zaire. This Friday, 15 April, at 2 p.m., the fighting spread on the outskirts of Kolwezi. A French military man died amid these engagements.
The FLNC strongly protests this French military intervention in Congo's domestic affairs and declined any responsibility for the consequences it may bring upon the French Government.
The FLNC calls on the French people, to whom it expresses its trust and friendly feelings, to demand the immediate termination of the aggression deliberately carried out against the Congolese people.
Angola declared the invaders "responsible for the grave consequences that may result from their intervention in the conflict" and warned that "if the objective is to attack Angola, the Popular Republic of Angola warns Africa and the world that it will not tolerate any foreign intervention". The Soviet Union condemned the Western Bloc and China for interfering in a "strictly internal conflict which need not concern anyone outside aire" The alleged Zairian bombings of Angola and Zambia also became an issue, with Mobutu accusing the Soviet Union of bombing the countries as
false flag A false flag operation is an act committed with the intent of disguising the actual source of responsibility and pinning blame on another party. The term "false flag" originated in the 16th century as an expression meaning an intentional misrep ...
attacks."Nearing Key Town, Zaire Invaders Say", ''Los Angeles Times'', 15 April 1977, p. B7; accesse
via saProQuest
French intervention met with left-wing criticism, domestically and internationally."Brezhnev Hits Zaire 'Meddling", ''The Hartford Courant'' (AP), 19 April 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
President Giscard d'Estaing responded that the action was protecting the sovereignty of a friendly state. Foreign Minister Louis de Guiringaud said that it was necessary to check Soviet influence. The French government denied claims that "military advisors" had participated in the fighting. Belgium denied a claim made by Mobutu and quoted in ''Newsweek'' that it was involved in the conflict and said that the only assistance that it had delivered had been preplanned.


Execution

The war itself seemed to be in a stalemate, with foreign troops and the FAZ now massed in Kolwezi but little fighting taking place. On 14 April, Moroccan General
Ahmed Dlimi Ahmed Dlimi (; 16 July 1931 in Zaggota, Sidi Kacem Province – 25 January 1983, Marrakesh) was a Moroccan general under the rule of Hassan II. After General Mohamed Oufkir's 1972 assassination, he became Hassan II's right-hand man. He led ...
arrived in Kolwezi, and a combined Zairian and Moroccan force counterattacked. 30 FAZ casualties were reported after a fortnight of quiet."Renewed fighting flares in Zaire; rebels wound 30", ''Chicago Tribune'', 16 April 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
It was joined by a unit of Pygmy archers. The government and supporting forces reported capturing rebel supplies, including counterfeit money and Portuguese- and Soviet-manufactured weapons. Two captured Kantangan soldiers said that there were 1,600 soldiers in Shaba, their leader was Nathaniel Mbumba and they were not being assisted by Cuba.Robin Wright, "Both Sides Nibble at Territory in Zaire's 'Termite War'", 20 April 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
One said, "First we were trained by the Portuguese and after that by the Cubans"—but "there are no Cubans now". The government displayed the two captives in another stadium rally in which Mobutu again condemned Soviet and Cuban involvement and ordered $60,000 worth of
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...
to go along with rations for FAZ soldiers.Michael T. Kaufman, "2 Captives Displayed by Zaire in Stadium: Crowd of 60,000 Calls for Death of Men Seized in South – They Tell of Training by Cubans", ''New York Times'', 20 April 1977, p. 6; accesse
via ProQuest
Mobutu flew with diplomats and journalists to Kolwezi, where he was met by dancing girls and announced a "total rout" of the insurgents. The pro-government alliance recaptured Mutshatsha on 25 April. The village was nearly deserted when it was captured, but observers assigned symbolic importance to its recapture. Mobutu held a press conference and parade in Mutshatsha, telling 47 international journalists that he would continue to battle Soviet influence in Africa. That day, the
International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution funded by 191 member countries, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is regarded as the global lender of las ...
said that it would lend Zaire $85 million. There was speculation that this may have been done to deter a group of private banks from canceling the existing loan of $250 million. At the request of France and the United States, the
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...
announced an upcoming convention to solicit additional loans for Zaire.Don Oberdorfer and Lee Lescaze, "Zaire Nearly Broke: U.S. Aids Bankers in Bailout for Zaire", ''Washington Post'', 24 April 1977, p. 1; accesse
via ProQuest
David Bufkin's mercenaries were reported ready to fly to Zaire to join the anti-FNLC coalition. The CIA denied a request from the Department of Justice to provide information about its involvement. Bufkin and the CIA denied the claim. The operation was aborted after the Safari Club intervention proved rapidly successful.


Conclusion


More confusion

The situation was confusing, chaotic and difficult to assess. Observers were unsure of whether the war had ended with a victory for the Zaire government or had devolved into a
guerrilla war Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include recruited children, use ambushes, sabotage, terrorism ...
. Journalists continued to face restrictions and intimidation. Seven European journalists (including Colin Smith) had been arrested in April and accused of illegally entering Shaba. A spokesperson for the Zaire military stated: "In the normal way these people should have been treated as mercenaries and shot immediately. It is a miracle they are still alive." The journalists were removed from Zaire after they had imprisoned for two weeks. According to a contemporary news report:
Newsmen in Kinshasa, 1,500 miles from the Kolwei battlegrounds, repeatedly refused permission to visit Shaba province, finally received permission to visit the region and after a 10-day visit reported that they had not heard a single shot fired. In Kolwezi's hospital only two slightly wounded Zairian soldiers had been seen. If there was a war going on nobody seemed to know where the front was. Nevertheless, the general staff of the Zaire army was claiming to have begun a general offensive against the enemy and claimed to have surrounded the town of Mutshatsha. Mobutu's patchwork army of reluctant unemployed urban youths, displaced farmers' sons, the restless Moroccans and the Pygmies face an estimated 100 battle groups, each consisting of 30 well trained and well armed men operating deep inside friendly trail areas.
The sympathies of the local people were also in question, with observers unsure of how many residents of Shaba supported the rebels. The image of the FAZ–Moroccan forces deteriorated when three Moroccan troops stabbed a Kolwezi woman to death and beat her babies after she denied them sex. (It was later determined that the soldiers raped the woman and killed her babies with
bayonets A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or Spike bayonet, spike-shaped melee weapon designed to be mounted on the end of the gun barrel, barrel of a rifle, carbine, musket or similar long gun, long firearm, allowing t ...
and would be executed after military tribunal in Shaba.) Local people were threatened, imprisoned and killed by the Zairian military in an effort to prevent them from joining the rebels. The European, Australian and Canadian missionaries who surfaced after fleeing to Angola said that locals supported the rebels, none of whom being Cuban or Angolan, because they opposed Mobutu.


Final military actions

The Moroccan and Zairian troops moved on, bolstered by additional noncombat forces from France, Egypt and Belgium. The coalition retook the area with occasional fighting. It suffered some casualties from an FNLC ambush in Kasaji. American workers returned to Kolwezi soon after the capture of Mutshatsha. On 21 May, the government announced that Dilolo had been captured. It said that 100 rebels were killed in simultaneous attacks at Kapanga and Sandoa. The war was declared over. Kapanga was declared captured on 26 May 1977.


Aftermath

As the FAZ, with France, Morocco, Egypt and Belgium, drove the rebels out of Zaire, the Ethio-Somali
Ogaden War The Ogaden War, also known as the Ethio-Somali War (, ), was a military conflict between Somali Democratic Republic, Somalia and derg, Ethiopia fought from July 1977 to March 1978 over control of the sovereignty of the Ogaden region. Somalia ...
created another international crisis involving the United States, the Safari Club, Cuba and the Soviet Union. In July 1977, Mobutu disclosed that Saudi Arabia had provided an undisclosed form of aid during the conflict.


FNLC

The FNLC withdrew to Angola and possibly to Zambia and began to regroup for another attack. The group gained many new recruits and left behind contacts within Shaba Province.


Katanganese

Military terror against
Lunda people The Lunda (''Balunda'', ''Luunda'', ''Ruund'') are a Bantu peoples, Bantu ethnic group that originated in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo along the Kalanyi River and formed the Kingdom of Lunda in the 17th century under their rule ...
in the region, who shared the ethnicity of the gendarmes, led 50,000–70,000 people to flee Zaire for Angola. In February 1978, the FAZ entered the town of
Idiofa Idiofa is a town in Kwilu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Location Idiofa is the administrative center for Idiofa Territory. Idiofa lies at an altitude of 1820 ft (554 m), east of the larger city of Kikwit, and west of the ...
, killed between 500 and 3,000 people, hanged fourteen "ringleaders" and burnt villages.Laura Parks, "Copper is queen of Zaire's Shaba", ''Tri–State Defender'', 21 May 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
"The towns will provide the operating base from which raids against the battle groups will be launched, if they can be found, more than likely the raids will degenerate into punitive expeditions against the village of Shaba province where that guerrilla battle groups might be suspected of receiving support."


Zaire

The military reported 219 casualties during the course of the war. The poor performance of Zaire's military during Shaba I gave evidence of chronic weaknesses. One problem was that some of the Zairian soldiers in the area had not received pay for extended periods. Senior officers often kept the money intended for the soldiers, typifying a generally disreputable and inept senior leadership in the FAZ. As a result, many soldiers simply deserted, rather than fight. Others stayed with their units but were ineffective. During the months after the Shaba invasion, Mobutu sought solutions to the military problems that had contributed to the army's dismal performance. Foreign Minister Jean Nguza Karl-i-Bond, the country's second-ranking official, an expert on
international law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...
and a member of the Lunda ethnic group, was accused of treason sentenced to death, reprieved by Mobutu and sentenced to life in prison. (He was later pardoned and reappointed Foreign Minister.) A former Zairian military officer and a former governor were condemned to death in August 1977, also charged with aiding the FNLC."Zaire Condemns Two Men It Links to Shaba Invasion", ''New York Times'', 19 August 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
Subsequent trials in 1978 implicated 68 military officers, dispensing 19 death penalties and numerous imprisonments. Mobutu also reorganised the FAZ and began training for the Kamanyola division in Kolwezi. The training was assisted by French, Belgian and American military advisors. In the reorganisation, Mobutu dismissed a Belgian officer, Van Melle, from his own intelligence services. Van Melle was a key contact for European and American intelligence agencies, and his dismissal made reliable information even harder for them to find. Mobutu merged the military general staff with his own presidential staff and appointed himself chief of staff again, in addition to the positions of minister of defence and supreme commander that he already held. He redeployed his forces throughout the country, instead of keeping them close to Kinshasa, as had previously been the case. The Kamanyola division, then considered the army's best unit and referred to as the president's own, was assigned permanently to Shaba. In addition, the army's strength was reduced by 25%, presumably to eliminate disloyal and ineffective elements. Zaire's allies provided a large influx of military equipment, and Belgian, French and American advisers assisted in rebuilding and retraining the force. Shaba I was a major public relations victory for Mobutu by securing his regime and winning continued military and economic assistance from the Western Bloc.David Lamb, "The Fall and Rise of the Zairian Empire: Mobuto's Game Plan Guides Country to Victory on the Back of Showmanship", ''Los Angeles Times'', 18 May 1977; accesse
via ProQuest
The group of private lenders, led by Citibank, was close to delivering the $250 million loan in early 1978.Tom Herman, "Major Loan to Zaire Up to $250 Million Nearing Completion", ''Wall Street Journal'', 24 February 1978; accesse
via ProQuest
The Shaba II conflict began in May 1978.


See also

* Capture of Lubumbashi


References


Bibliography

* Gleijeses, Piero. "Truth or Credibility: Castro, Carter, and the Invasions of Shaba". ''The International History Review'' 18(1), 2010. . * Odom, Thomas P.
Shaba II: The French and Belgian Intervention in Zaire in 1978
'. Fort Leavenworth: ''Combat Studies Institute'', April 1993. * Ogunbadejo, Oye. "Conflict in Africa: A Case Study of the Shaba Crisis, 1977". ''World Affairs'' 141(3), Winter 1979. . * Van Nederveen, Gilles K.
USAF Airlift into the Heart of Darkness, the Congo 1960–1978: Implications for Modern Air Mobility Planners
'. Research Paper 2004–04. Airpower Research Institute; College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education; Air University. 2004.


Further reading

* Roger Glickson, 'The Shaba Crisis: Stumbling to Victory,' Small Wars and Insurgencies, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1994. {{Authority control Conflicts in 1977 Cold War conflicts Military history of Morocco Civil wars in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Wars involving Angola Wars involving Egypt Wars involving France Wars involving Morocco Zaire 1977 in Angola 1977 in Zaire Proxy wars Cold War military history of France Communism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Military coups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo