113-506: The yellow-crested helmetshrike ( Prionops alberti ) or King Albert's helmetshrike is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae . This large, striking helmetshrike is unique in its black plumage and bright yellow crest. Though this species has been encountered broadly across the mountains of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo , there is still much to learn about this species. It
226-521: A Catholic monk in Belgium, Albert wrote: "Consecrating oneself wholly to the service of Our Lord gives, to those touched by grace, the peace of soul which is the supreme happiness here below." Albert used to tell his children: "As you nourish your body, so you should nourish your soul." In an interesting meditation on what he viewed as the harm that would result if Christian ideals were abandoned in Belgium, he said: "Every time society has distanced itself from
339-507: A "war effort tax", which escalated alongside coltan prices. RCD-Goma also held a controlling 75% interest in the Société Minière des Grands Lacs (SOMIGL), which held a temporary monopoly on coltan exports, generating immediate revenue surges. In December 2000, the 112 tonnes of exported coltan brought in over $ 1.1 million in taxes; however, none of these funds were allocated toward public services like healthcare or education. The monopoly
452-528: A Territorial Administrator supported by two Assistant Territorial Administrators, who facilitate the effective governance of vast regions, often remote or rural. Appointed by the Ministry of the Interior and Security , territorial officials are part of the state's official budget. They are responsible for implementing state policies at the local level, under the oversight of the provincial governor , who serves as both
565-551: A boulder at the top of the mountain that became dislodged; the second that the pinnacle to which his rope was belayed broke, causing him to fall about 60 feet (18 metres). In 2016, DNA testing by geneticist Dr. Maarten Larmuseau and colleagues from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven on bloodstained leaves that were collected in 1934 from Marche-les-Dames concluded that King Albert had died at that location. Like his predecessors Leopold I and Leopold II, King Albert
678-737: A bridge over the Osso River. On 25 February 2003, RCD-Goma forces orchestrated a massacre in Bushimoo and Kailenge, killing at least 44 civilians. The attack was deceitfully executed under the guise of a community meeting meant to introduce a new village leader—an ex-Mayi-Mayi who had defected to RCD-Goma. The atrocities extended into the Walikale region. In April 2003, RCD-Goma forces killed five civilians and tortured two women near Kabusa, approximately ten kilometers from Walikale. In June 2003, seven inhabitants of Lukweti were executed with bayonets, and their village
791-466: A brutal regime, characterized by arbitrary detention, torture, and summary executions . Civilians were often confined in inhumane conditions, including detention in muddy pits several meters deep. North of Kanyabayonga , the FDLR targeted civilians across several villages, including Kayna, Mayene, Nyamindo, Kisandja, and Kiteka. The attacks often involved killings, harassment, and forced displacement. During
904-476: A child and an employee of the international NGO Save the Children , were killed in the village of Karuba. In November 1996, Walikale Territory became a critical transit point and deadly trap for Rwandan refugees fleeing the advancing AFDL and RPA. Refugees arrived in the area via three routes: one from Bukavu through Bunyakiri ; another through the dense forests of Kahuzi-Biéga National Park and Nyabibwe; and
1017-477: A deep mutual affection based on a rare affinity of spirit. They also make clear that Albert and Elisabeth continually supported and encouraged each other in their challenging roles as king and queen. The spouses shared an intense commitment to their country and family and a keen interest in human progress of all kinds. Together, they cultivated the friendship of prominent scientists, artists, mathematicians, musicians, and philosophers, turning their court at Laeken into
1130-662: A focal point for intense military operations and humanitarian crises . The war marked the beginning of a campaign by the newly formed Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL), led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila , and the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), under Paul Kagame , to depose Mobutu Sese Seko 's regime in Zaire (present-day DRC). While the AFDL and RPA justified their incursion by accusing Mobutu of marginalizing
1243-460: A harsh, restrictive treaty against Germany to prevent future German aggression. He also considered that the dethronement of the princes of Central Europe and, in particular, the dissolution of the Habsburg Empire would constitute a serious menace to peace and stability on the continent. The Allies considered Belgium to be the chief victim of the war, and it aroused enormous popular sympathy, but
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#17328592529951356-750: A hero's welcome. The King Albert I Memorial in Nieuwpoort is dedicated to King Albert and the Belgian troops during the Great War. There are also at least two memorials to Albert outside Belgium, to commemorate his role in the Great War: Nancy, France has a Boulevard Albert Ier and a statue of the King, and Le Havre , France has a Boulevard Albert Ier. Interestingly, the Nancy statue is marked "Albert Ier" even though, when it
1469-662: A kind of cultural salon. Albert and Elisabeth had three children: Following the death of his uncle, Leopold II , Albert succeeded to the Belgian throne in December 1909, since Albert's own father had died in 1905. Previous Belgian kings had taken the royal accession oath only in French; Albert innovated by taking it in Dutch as well. He and his wife, Queen Elisabeth, were popular in Belgium due to their simple, unassuming lifestyle and their harmonious family life, which stood in marked contrast to
1582-477: A locality between Hombo and Walikale. Hundreds of refugees were executed as part of a broader system of targeted extermination. A similar system was implemented in Itebero, where special units systematically hunted down refugees throughout December 1996. In Mutiko locality, refugees intercepted at checkpoints were transported to Mukito village under the pretense of being prepared for UNHCR-assisted repatriation. However,
1695-565: A makeshift camp at Rukwi, killing an indeterminate number of refugees in a protracted series of raids that spanned weeks and months. In late November, atrocities were reported in Miandja, where AFDL/RPA units killed approximately 50 civilians, including 40 Rwandan refugees and 10 local Hutu Banyarwanda . Refugees who had established settlements at Karunda in Kirumbu village and on the Nyabura plantation in
1808-531: A potentially healthy population. King Albert I of Belgium Albert I (8 April 1875 – 17 February 1934) was King of the Belgians from 23 December 1909 until his death in 1934. He is popularly referred to as the Knight King (Dutch: Koning-Ridder , French: Roi-Chevalier ) or Soldier King (Dutch: Koning-Soldaat , French: Roi-Soldat ) in Belgium in reference to his role during World War I. Albert
1921-563: A rich fish population, forming a vital economic resource for surrounding communities. Lake Kivu, the highest lake in Central Africa , sits at an elevation of 1,460 meters, with a Congolese surface area of 2,700 square kilometers and an average depth of 285 meters. However, its fish diversity is relatively limited compared to Lake Edward. Additionally, the Mokotos Lakes—Ndalaha, Lukulu, Mbalukia, and Mbila—occupy 86 square kilometers in
2034-540: A share of profits in exchange for their protection. Although some coltan passed through local trading houses, the majority was flown directly to Rwanda, bypassing the DRC's export system. Rwandan military officers and entrepreneurs linked to the government were prominently represented as directors and stakeholders in key trading houses in Goma and Bukavu, such as Grands Lacs Metals and Rwanda Metals. These trading houses collaborated with
2147-555: A third from North Kivu, passing through southern Masisi Territory and the towns of Busurungi and Biriko. While armed men in these groups often managed to escape, the slowest refugees—mainly women, children, and the elderly—became the primary targets of the AFDL/RPA's systematic attacks. On 9 December 1996, the AFDL/RPA forces unleashed one of their deadliest massacres at the Hombo Bridge, where they shot dead several hundred refugees. Many of
2260-653: Is insectivorous , actively searching and hunting for arthropods in fast-moving groups of up to 14-20 individuals in the forest canopy, similar to other Prionops . So far as is known, this species is non-migratory, but elevational movements may occur seasonally. The nest is undescribed. Chapin suspected that the species does not have a small, discrete breeding season in the northern part of its distribution. Juvenal birds have been reported from Lutunguru , North Kivu between mid-August and October, leading Alexandre Prigogine to suspect that eggs are laid sometime in June or July. It
2373-405: Is a member of the family Vangidae . This species, along with other members of the genus Prionops , was formerly considered a member of the family Malaconotidae . Little is known about this species, and its taxonomic placement within the genus Prionops is uncertain. It is a monotypic species. Its specific epithet comes from King Albert I of Belgium , as the species' type locality was located what
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#17328592529952486-491: Is greatly influenced by altitude. Temperatures decrease with elevation: areas below 1,000 meters average 23°C, while those at 2,000 meters average 15°C. Rainfall varies from 1,000 to 2,000 millimeters annually, with drier periods in January-February and July-August. The region experiences four distinct seasons: two wet seasons (mid-August to mid-January, mid-February to mid-July) and two short dry seasons. According to
2599-638: Is home to the Rwenzori Mountains , part of the Albertine Rift , which serves as a key freshwater source and supports a diverse ecosystem . North Kivu also hosts Virunga National Park , a UNESCO World Heritage Site home to endangered mountain gorillas . Demographically, North Kivu is ethnically diverse, predominantly inhabited by Bantu -speaking people, including the Nande, Mbuba, Hunde , Lese, Talinga, Hutu , Tutsi , and Batwa ( pygmies ). However,
2712-709: Is interred in the Royal Crypt at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken in Brussels. In 1935, prominent Belgian author Emile Cammaerts published a widely acclaimed biography of King Albert I, titled Albert of Belgium: Defender of Right . In 1993, a close climbing companion of the King, Walter Amstutz , founded the King Albert I Memorial Foundation , an association based in Switzerland and dedicated to honouring distinguished individuals in
2825-603: Is organized into chiefdoms , known as collectivités , and sectors . These entities represent traditional forms of authority, where leadership is often determined by ethnic customs and later formalized by the state. The head of a chiefdom holds the title "mwami" (paramount customary chief). Chiefdoms and sectors are divided into groupements , which further subdivide into villages. Village heads and chiefs manage governance within these smaller divisions. Some notable chiefdoms and sectors in North Kivu include: The frontiers of
2938-464: Is rarely reported due to the majority of its distribution occurring in relatively remote regions within the Albertine Rift , an area with ongoing armed conflict . Adults are generally all black with a bright yellow or gold crest (sometimes described as a " helmet "), with the yellow extending across the entire top half of the head above the eyeline and extending backwards behind the eye. The greenish-yellow irides are surrounded by an orange eye-wattle;
3051-535: Is threatened by habitat loss . As of 2024, the species is considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature . The yellow-crested helmetshrike, previously categorized as a lost species, was rediscovered by biologist Michael Harvey's team during a six-week expedition to the Itombwe Mountains in December 2023. They encountered 18 of the elusive birds in three locations, suggesting
3164-727: The AFDL . By late 1997, tensions mounted as Kabila faced allegations of marginalizing Tutsi factions in his government and favoring his Katangan affiliates. Other reports suggested that the United States provided military assistance to Rwanda in the lead-up to the war, ostensibly motivated by access to Congo's vast natural resources. A U.S. Army Rwanda Interagency Assessment Team (RIAT) was deployed to Rwanda in July 1998 to train Rwandan units. The presence of U.S. forces sparked controversy, as it coincided with
3277-671: The ALiR ( Armée pour la Libération du Rwanda ) also attacked civilians in Walikale Territory and Masisi Territory. In January 2000, ALiR forces killed approximately 100 civilians in the village of Luke, Walikale Territory, accusing them of collaborating with RCD-Goma and RPA forces. Most of the victims were killed with machetes or shot . On 9 July 2000, ALiR attacked a displaced persons' camp in Sake , killing 34–42 civilians, mostly women and children of Hunde and Tembo ethnicity. On 7 August 1998,
3390-547: The Bashali Chiefdom . The provincial river system includes the Rutshuru , Rwindi, Semliki, Osso, and Lowa rivers. Volcanic soils , derived from recent lava flows, dominate areas near active volcanoes; these soils, while fertile in older flows, are less suitable for agriculture in recent deposits. Between Goma and Rutshuru, volcanic soils are fertile yet shallow, conducive to agriculture. Alluvial soils are common in
3503-552: The Belgian general strike of 1913 the promise had been made to have constitutional reform for one man, one vote universal suffrage but the German invasion of Belgium in August 1914 and the subsequent occupation delayed the implementation of the commission's proposal. In 1918, King Albert forged a post-war "Government of National Union" made up of members of the three main parties in Belgium,
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3616-558: The Benedictine monastery of Maredsous in Belgium, King Albert wrote a letter to him in which he spoke of the joy of giving oneself to God. He said: "May you spend many years at Maredsous in the supreme comfort of soul that is given to natures touched by grace, by faith in God's infinite power and confidence in His goodness." To another friend, Lu Zhengxiang , a former prime minister of China who became
3729-674: The Congo Free State were defined by the Neutrality Act during the 1885 Berlin Conference , in which the European powers staked out their territorial claims in Africa. The Congo Free State's northeastern boundary was defined in 1885 as "a straight line coming from the northern end of Lake Tanganyika and ending at a point located on the 30th east meridian and at 1° 20' south latitude; further north,
3842-522: The DRC Mapping Exercise Report , many of the victims' hands were bound, and bodies were often discovered in public pit latrines . By 1 November 1996, all refugee camps between Goma and Rutshuru had been dismantled. The Kibumba camp's survivors moved toward Mugunga, while those from Kahindo and Katale were scattered into the dense forests of Virunga National Park . Attempting to evade interception by AFDL/RPA forces, refugees wandered through
3955-807: The Lowa River . Victims were killed either by gunfire or by brutal methods involving hammers and hoes . Deceptively lured with promises of UNHCR assistance for repatriation, most of the victims' bodies were discarded in the Lowa River. By mid-December 1996, AFDL/RPA forces advanced on the makeshift camps in Biriko, located in the Walowa-Luanda groupement . Refugees here were surrounded by soldiers from Ziralo and Bunyakiri in South Kivu and Ngungu in North Kivu. Hundreds of refugees, including women and children, were killed in
4068-1008: The Masisi Territory became a critical theater of pursuit and systematic violence as the AFDL and RPA advanced in their campaign. Their primary targets were refugees—mainly Rwandans—and ex-FAR/Interahamwe combatants fleeing westward towards Walikale. These columns of escapees, slowed by exhaustion and the harsh terrain, established temporary camps in villages across Masisi Territory, including Osso, Kinigi, Katoyi, Kilolirwe, Ngandjo, Nyamitaba, Miandja, Nyaruba, Kirumbu, and Kahira. Survivors from decimated camps such as Mugunga, Kibumba, Kahindo, and Katale were disproportionately represented among these disparate groups. The assault on refugees and Internally displaced persons escalated on 19 November 1996, when Mayi-Mayi fighters aligned with AFDL/RPA forces attacked Ngungu village. Backed by artillery , they indiscriminately slaughtered an estimated several hundred refugees and ex-FAR/Interahamwe combatants. Reports from
4181-524: The Roche du Vieux Bon Dieu at Marche-les-Dames , in the Ardennes region of Belgium near Namur . His death shocked the world and he was deeply mourned, both in Belgium and abroad. Because King Albert was an expert climber, some questioned the official version of his death and suggested that the King was murdered (or even committed suicide) somewhere else and that his body had never been at Marche-les-Dames, or that it
4294-741: The Ruwenzori Mountains , also committed widespread atrocities in Beni. In 2000, ADF-NALU forces kidnapped, enslaved, and killed hundreds of civilians. In January, they abducted over 100 people in Mutwanga, and in April, they attacked surrounding villages, forcibly recruiting children and enslaving women. Many victims endured malnutrition , physical abuse , and execution during captivity, with some forced to carry looted property over long distances. In November 2002, RCD-Goma launched an assault on Bushimoo village in
4407-846: The Tutsi population and harboring perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide , alternate reports, including those from the United Nations Security Council , implicated both factions in the systematic looting of Zaire 's mineral wealth and perpetrating massacres throughout the conflict. At the onset, North Kivu hosted a significant population of Rwandan refugees, estimated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to number 717,991 in October 1996. Refugee camps , including Kibumba (194,986), Katale (202,566), and Kahindo (112,875), were strategically situated along
4520-795: The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) took control of Beni without opposition. However, this occupation provoked substantial local resistance, with youth in Beni and Lubero joining the Mayi-Mayi groups. Strengthened by financial and military support from the Kinshasa government, the Mayi-Mayi launched attacks on UPDF convoys and engaged in violent confrontations with Ugandan forces. These clashes were further compounded by internal rivalries within Mayi-Mayi factions, notably between Chief Lolwako Poko Poko's Vurondo Mayi-Mayi and Chief Mudohu's forces. Efforts by
4633-801: The United States . King Albert and his party arrived in New York City on 2 October. The party would then proceed to visit several sites in the Eastern United States including Boston and Niagara Falls , before heading to the Western United States. King Albert and his party arrived in California on 10 October. Upon arrival in Sacramento , the King awarded the Order of Leopold II to the engineer who
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4746-556: The Zairean Red Cross documented the mass burials of victims to prevent outbreaks of epidemics. From 2–30 November, 2,087 bodies were buried in and around the Kibumba camp. Between 30 November 1996, and 26 January 1997, an additional 1,919 bodies were buried in the same area. At Kahindo Camp, 281 bodies were buried between 1–25 December 1996. At Katale Camp, 970 bodies were buried between 1 December 1996, and 18 January 1997. According to
4859-723: The alluvial plains of Semliki and Rwindi - Rutshuru , stretching from Lake Edward 's northern to southern shores. The steep Kabasha escarpment rises from Lake Edward's western bank, extending toward the Rwindi-Rutshuru plain, which is flanked by the massive Ruwenzori range (5,119 meters) to the east. Further south, the plain merges into volcanic lava fields leading to the Virunga Mountains , with prominent active volcanoes Nyamulagira (3,056 meters) and Nyiragongo (3,470 meters). The province features two major lakes: Lake Edward and Lake Kivu . Lake Edward, covering 2,150 square kilometers with 1,630 square kilometers in Congolese territory, reaches an average depth of 30 meters. It supports
4972-409: The execution of civilians . Detainees were often held in inhumane conditions, such as being confined in deep holes exposed to the elements. Protests against these abuses were met with lethal force, such as in March 2000, when UPDF soldiers killed four civilians during a demonstration in Beni. The Allied Democratic Forces–National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU), an armed group based in
5085-423: The AFDL, while also issuing an order for the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) soldiers to withdraw from Congolese territory. These actions provoked Rwanda and Uganda to support a new rebellion aimed at removing Kabila from power. On 2 August 1998, a mutiny within the Congolese military, the Forces Armées Congolaises (FAC), was announced on Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) in Goma . The mutiny led to
5198-421: The Bashali-Mokoto groupement faced a similar fate. In April 1997, AFDL/RPA forces attacked a school in the village of Humule, near Karuba—roughly fifty kilometers from Goma—killing 53 refugees. Further violence followed in May 1997 when AFDL/RPA units intercepted a group of refugees heading to the Karuba UNHCR transit center, where they hoped to facilitate their return to Rwanda. On 29 May, four people, including
5311-691: The Bashali-Mokoto groupement , killing an unverified number of people from the Hunde ethnic group. During the same period, Mayi-Mayi forces under Hunde's leadership retaliated by torching multiple Nyanga villages in the same region, resulting in further casualties and displacement. The cycle of violence intensified in January 2003, as RCD-Goma forces conducted coordinated attacks on the villages of Bushimoo, Kauli, and Binyungunyungu. Over three days (21–23 January), RCD-Goma troops indiscriminately killed civilians, set villages ablaze, and committed acts of sexual violence. A particularly egregious attack occurred on 22 January when approximately 15 civilians were executed on
5424-422: The Belgian throne as his reigning uncle Leopold II's son had already died. When, however, Albert's older brother, Prince Baudouin of Belgium , who had been subsequently prepared for the throne, also died young, Albert, at the age of 16, unexpectedly became second in line (after his father) to the Belgian Crown. Retiring and studious, Albert prepared himself strenuously for the task of kingship. In his youth, Albert
5537-413: The Belgians , and his wife, Louise-Marie of France , and the younger brother of King Leopold II of Belgium ( r. 1865–1909 ). Princess Marie was a relative of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany ( r. 1888–1918 ), and a member of the non-reigning, Catholic branch of the Hohenzollern family. Albert grew up in the Palace of the Count of Flanders , initially as third in the line of succession to
5650-500: The Belgians occupied the post. After a series of incidents, the boundaries of the Congo, Uganda and Rwanda were settled in May 1910, with the eastern part of Kivu assigned to Uganda and the German colony of Rwanda. Kivu District was created by an arrêté royal of 28 March 1912, which divided the Congo into 22 districts. By 1954, Kivu District had been split into Sud-Kivu District and Nord-Kivu District . The First Congo War , which began in mid-October 1996, saw North Kivu become
5763-477: The Biriko camps through shootings or by being bludgeoned with hoes. Locals were forced to bury some of the victims, while others were discarded in the Nyawaranga River. The violence then spread to nearby villages, including Kilambo, Busurungi, Nyamimba, and Kifuruka. In Kifuruka, located 10 kilometers from Biriko, several hundred refugees were reportedly killed in December 1996. During the third week of December 1996, AFDL/RPA units committed mass killings in Musenge,
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#17328592529955876-410: The Catholics, the Liberals, and the Socialists and attempted to mediate between the parties in order to bring about one man, one vote universal suffrage for men. He succeeded in doing so. The Belgian Government sent the King to the Paris Peace Conference in April 1919, where he met with the leaders of France, Britain and the United States. He had four strategic goals: He strongly advised against
5989-426: The Congo and Uganda, and a sight record of a flock exists from nearby Mount Nyiragongo . Furthermore, a hypothetical sight record exists for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda . Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest in the Albertine Rift , largely between the elevations of 1120–2500 m in elevation. Birds have been reported foraging in Hagenia trees on Mount Kahuzi . However,
6102-608: The FAC in May 1999 targeted Goma neighborhoods, including Mukosasenge in Karisimbi , resulting in civilian casualties. Around 8 August 1999, RCD-Goma and RPA killed at least 17 civilians in the village of Otobora in Walikale Territory , many of whom were displaced persons from the neighboring village of Hombo. On 12 August 1999, RCD-Goma and RPA killed 44 civilians in the village of Miano in Masisi Territory , predominantly women and children of Tembo ethnicity. Victims were targeted based on their ethnic origin. Around 23 November 1999, RCD-Goma and RPA killed an unknown number of civilians in
6215-414: The Gospel, which preached humility, fraternity, and peace, the people have been unhappy, because the pagan civilisation of ancient Rome, which they wanted to replace it with, is based only on pride and the abuse of force" (Commemorative speech for the war dead of the Battle of the Yser , given by Dom Marie-Albert, Abbot of Orval Abbey , Belgium, in 1936). The war inflicted great suffering on Belgium, which
6328-432: The King's advice played a small role in Paris. Albert spent much of the remainder of his reign assisting in the postwar reconstruction of Belgium. In 1920 Albert changed the family name from " Saxe-Coburg-Gotha " to " House of Belgium " ( van België , in Dutch; de Belgique in French) as a result of strong anti-German sentiment. This mirrored the British royal family's name-change to House of Windsor in 1917. Albert
6441-539: The Köppen-Geiger classification, North Kivu has a warm oceanic climate , with an annual average temperature of 18°C and average precipitation of 363.6 millimeters. Approximate correspondence between historical and current province North Kivu Province is systematically organized into a hierarchy of administrative divisions, which include territories , cities , chiefdoms ( collectivités ), sectors , groupements (groupings), and villages ( localités ). North Kivu comprises six territories. These territories are led by
6554-428: The Mutura border, according to UNHCR records. However, this exodus was perilous, with numerous reports of intimidation, coercion, and outright killings by AFDL/RPA soldiers targeting those seeking assistance. The scale of the violence against refugees became evident through reports from local organizations. NGOs such as the Équipe d'urgence de la biodiversité (EUB), the Association des Volontaires du Zaïre (ASVOZA), and
6667-426: The President's and Ministry's representative within the province. The territories in North Kivu include: The province consists of three cities— Goma , Butembo , and Beni . Each city is a decentralized administrative entity with official legal status and is led by a mayor appointed by a presidential decree on the advice of the Minister of the Interior and Security. The traditional governance of North Kivu
6780-941: The RCD-ML (Rally for Congolese Democracy–Liberation Movement) to incorporate these groups into its armed wing, the Armée Patriotique Congolaise (APC), failed, leading to intensified violence. In August 2000, confrontations between Vurondo Mayi-Mayi fighters and APC/UPDF troops in Lubero resulted in dozens of deaths, including civilians. Reports indicate that 17 civilians were killed, and seven Mayi-Mayi prisoners were summarily executed. In retaliation for Mayi-Mayi ambushes, UPDF forces launched indiscriminate attacks on villages suspected of harboring Mayi-Mayi fighters. These operations frequently involved mass civilian killings, destruction of property, and other acts of brutality. On 1 November 2000, UPDF soldiers reportedly executed between 7 and 11 civilians in Maboya and Loya, 16 kilometers north of Butembo , while setting ablaze 43 houses. Victims were either shot or burned alive. On 8 November 2000, close to
6893-643: The RCD-ML's control, its armed wing, the Armée Populaire Congolaise (APC), was implicated in atrocities targeting civilian populations. In Kiantsaba, a village near Beni, APC forces killed at least five civilians and razed homes. Meanwhile, APC troops, in coordination with the UPDF, clashed with Mayi-Mayi militias in the village of Irango. During these confrontations, the UPDF reportedly committed mass killings , sexual violence against young girls , and extensive property destruction, including arson and looting. The UPDF's presence in Beni extended beyond military confrontations. For several years, Ugandan forces established
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#17328592529957006-421: The Rutshuru corridor north of Goma. Additional camps, such as Mugunga (156,115) and Lac Vert (49,449), were located westward on the Sake route. These camps, positioned near critical transit routes and the Rwandan border, became focal points of military confrontation. On the evening of 27 June 1996, a clandestine Rwandan unit allegedly infiltrated the Kibumba refugee camp in Nyiragongo Territory , resulting in
7119-417: The Rwandan government's Congo Desk, facilitating the direct export of coltan to international markets. Despite the eventual downturn in coltan prices, military transfers persisted, as illustrated by the 5 October 2002, seizure of 36 tonnes of coltan belonging to Rwanda Metals in Tanzania. The DRC government accused Rwanda Metals of looting resources from the DRC, though the company contested the claim, asserting
7232-617: The Second Congo War, military control over natural resources , particularly coltan , became a lucrative enterprise for the Rwandan-backed rebel group RCD-Goma . Although a decline in coltan prices led to a reduction in direct Rwandan army management of certain mining sites, their vested interest in the coltan trade remained high, with RCD-Goma and other political entities actively participating. RCD-Goma facilitated substantial revenue flows from coltan; however, even greater profits were channeled to Rwanda, as military officials and Rwandan authorities diverted significant quantities of coltan across
7345-466: The Semliki plains, originating from lacustrine and fluvial deposits, while older, humus -rich soils are found in regions with deeper, clayey substrates, abundant in organic matter. Savannas dominate the alluvial plains of Semliki and Rutshuru, while shrubby , sclerophyllous formations are found on the lava plains north of Lake Kivu. Mountain rainforests grow primarily in the Rwenzori and Virunga massifs, while equatorial forests are extensive in
7458-454: The Tiwas Indians. Ten thousand people travelled to Isleta for this occasion. That same year he was elected an honorary member of the New York Society of the Cincinnati . In New York, the King received a ticker tape parade in his honor. The visit was considered a success by the Belgian authorities. Since the Belgian general strike of 1893 , plural votes had been granted to individual men based on their wealth, education, and age, but after
7571-407: The United Nations and local witnesses indicate that no effort was made to distinguish civilians from combatants, with women and children among the fatalities. The following days saw continued massacres. In Osso, an improvised refugee camp adjacent to a local farm became a site of mass killing. Eyewitness accounts documented the presence of 20 to 100 bodies in the aftermath, though the actual death toll
7684-539: The Virunga National Park, an atrocity echoed in September 2003 in the nearby village of Mudja. Both incidents were marked by degrading treatment and indiscriminate abuse. In 2001, the Beni and Lubero regions in North Kivu became entrenched battlegrounds as various factions, including RCD-ML, Mayi-Mayi groups, UPDF, and elements of the FDLR, fought for territorial control. These conflicts were characterized by widespread violence against civilians, including extrajudicial killings , sexual violence , and systemic looting. Under
7797-409: The age of 58, and he was succeeded by his son Leopold III ( r. 1934–1951 ). Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad was born 8 April 1875 in Brussels , the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders , and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen . Prince Philippe was the third (second surviving) son of Leopold I ( r. 1831–1865 ), the first King of
7910-422: The aloof, autocratic manner and the dissolute private life of Leopold II. An important aspect of the early years of Albert's reign was his institution of many reforms in the administration of the Belgian Congo , Belgium's only colonial possession. King Albert was a devout Catholic . Many stories illustrate his deep and tender piety. For instance, when his former tutor General De Grunne, in his old age, entered
8023-487: The assault. By 31 October, AFDL and RPA forces had reportedly executed hundreds of refugees who remained in Kahindo Camp. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights violations in Zaire, Roberto Garretón, later estimated 143 deaths at Katale Camp and between 100 and 200 deaths at Kahindo Camp. As the AFDL/RPA offensive escalated, fear and desperation prompted some refugees to attempt repatriation to Rwanda. Between 26–31 October, approximately 900 refugees crossed
8136-514: The bill, like the plumage, is black, though the legs and feet are reported to be light red. Individuals can be quite variable in terms of crest color, ranging from grayish-white to pale yellowish to bright gold, with variation possibly attributable either to individual variation or to wear. "Berlioz" (likely Jacques Berlioz ) communicated that the yellow pigments in the crest feathers are "soluble in benzine, alcohol, and to some extent even in water". Some birds also have varying amount of gray or white in
8249-706: The border is formed by the 30th meridian east." On this basis, all of Lake Kivu and both banks of the Ruzizi River were in the Free State. In June 1909, John Methuen Coote started the Kivu frontier incident when he travelled southwest from the British Uganda Protectorate and established fortified camps at Burungu and Rubona on Lake Kivu. British troops under Coote withdrew from the Rubona post on 29 June 1909, and
8362-565: The border. From January to October 2000, coltan exports from Rwandan-controlled eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo exceeded 445 tonnes , according to RCD-Goma's records. In late 2000, the organization implemented an export monopoly and declared 208 tonnes of coltan exports over the next two months. Accounting for both formal and clandestine transfers to Rwanda, annual production in the Kivu provinces likely reached between 1,400 and 1,700 tonnes in 2000. Estimates suggested that more than $ 60 million
8475-470: The colonial era when it was initially part of the Stanley Falls District within the Congo Free State . Following a series of territorial reorganizations, North Kivu became incorporated into Orientale Province , with Stanleyville (modern-day Kisangani ) as the provincial capital. The area gained provincial status in 1962 but was demoted to a district under Mobutu Sese Seko 's regime in 1965. It
8588-566: The coltan was mined domestically. Although the Tanzanian High Court dismissed the case, the provenance of the seized coltan remains uncertain. RCD-Goma, despite its self-appointed administrative authority, lacked the logistical and military resources necessary for extensive control over mining areas, as exercised by the Rwandan army. Nevertheless, it capitalized on the coltan trade by imposing numerous taxes and fees, including mining license charges, non-refundable deposits, export taxes, and
8701-728: The deaths of three refugees, two soldiers from the Contingent Zaïrois pour la Sécurité des Camps (CZSC), and three Red Cross wardens. By October, the AFDL and RPA intensified their offensive, bombarding the Kibumba camp with heavy artillery on the night of 25–26 October, leaving an indeterminate number of refugees dead and obliterating the camp's hospital. Over 194,000 survivors fled toward Mugunga, while simultaneous assaults decimated Katale Camp despite initial resistance from Forces Armées Zairoises (FAZ)/CZSC personnel, ex- FAR combatants, and Interahamwe militias. Reports indicate several dozen refugees and one CZSC soldier were killed during
8814-441: The eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo . The capital city is Goma . Spanning approximately 59,483 square kilometers with a population estimate of 8,147,400 as of 2020, it is bordered by Ituri Province to the north, Tshopo Province to the northwest, Maniema Province to the southwest, and South Kivu Province to the south, as well as Uganda and Rwanda to the east. North Kivu's administrative history traces back to
8927-574: The formation of the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie (RCD-Goma), a Tutsi-dominated rebel group supported by Rwanda. On the same day, the city of Goma fell into the hands of RCD-Goma and RPA without significant resistance. Goma remained under rebel control for nearly three years, from August 1998 to January 2001. On 25 February 1999, RCD-Goma and RPA forces massacred 45 civilians in Lukweti, Masisi Territory . Subsequent airstrikes by
9040-440: The former Kibumba camp. One of the most harrowing incidents occurred in April 1997 near Mwaro, close to the village of Kibumba. On 9 April AFDL/RPA soldiers intercepted refugees attempting to return to Rwanda. The victims were imprisoned in a mosque and a former farm building before being killed on 11 April. The number of victims is unknown, but accounts suggest the massacre claimed several hundred lives. In mid-November 1996,
9153-595: The future peace and stability of Europe. Neither Germany nor the Entente were favourable to the idea, tending instead to seek total victory, and Albert's attempts to further a negotiated peace were unsuccessful. At the end of the war, as commander of the Army Group Flanders , consisting of Belgian, British and French divisions, Albert led the final offensive of the war that liberated occupied Belgium. King Albert, Queen Elisabeth, and their children then reentered Brussels to
9266-464: The legal ownership of the Canadian -based gold exploration and development company Banro Corp or the DRC government. In February 2001, an RCD-Goma committee awarded Medival Minerals Ltd., a Swiss company, an 18-month contract for cassiterite extraction in various concessions. In eastern DRC, coltan is often mislabeled as cassiterite to circumvent higher tantalum -related duties. Under this arrangement,
9379-546: The mineral. Return flights often carried arms and equipment back into the DRC. Civilian flights, which previously allowed local miners to sell coltan to local trading houses , were halted by military authorities to consolidate control over the trade. Civilians in military-controlled mining areas were frequently coerced into forced labor, and even paid miners had to sell their output to army officials at considerably reduced rates. Additionally, Rwandan soldiers served as private security for foreign-owned mining concessions, receiving
9492-591: The most recent in August 2022) and was the epicenter of the 2018–2020 Kivu Ebola outbreak, which was the second largest in history, resulting in over 3400 cases and 2200 deaths, following the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak. Situated along the equator, North Kivu spans latitudes from 0° 58' north to 2° 03' south and longitudes from 27° 14' west to 29° 58' east. Its topography ranges from less than 800 meters to peaks exceeding 5,000 meters in altitude, comprising diverse formations including plains , plateaus , and mountainous regions. Notable lowland areas include
9605-475: The mountaineering world. To celebrate 175 years of the Belgian royal family and the 100th anniversary of his accession, Albert I was selected as the main motif of a high-value collectors' coin: the Belgian 12.5 euro Albert I commemorative coin , minted in 2008. The obverse shows a portrait of the King. North Kivu North Kivu ( Jimbo la Kivu Kaskazini in Swahili ) is a province bordering Lake Kivu in
9718-587: The native population and further technological progress in the colony. Albert was married in Munich on 2 October 1900 to Bavarian Duchess Elisabeth Gabrielle Valérie Marie , a Wittelsbach princess whom he had met at a family funeral. A daughter of Bavarian Duke Karl-Theodor , and his second wife, the Infanta Maria Josepha of Portugal , she was born at Possenhofen Castle , Bavaria , Germany , on 25 July 1876, and died on 23 November 1965. The civil wedding
9831-480: The outbreak of hostilities in the DRC. American photojournalist and war correspondent Keith Harmon Snow asserted that Roger Winter, a key figure in the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants , orchestrated U.S.-endorsed insurgencies in Congo and neighboring states, including Rwanda, Sudan , and Uganda. In July 1998, driven by fears of a coup d'état , President Laurent-Désiré Kabila relieved Rwandan General James Kabarebe of his position as Chief of Staff of
9944-797: The park's inhospitable terrain for weeks. The volcanic landscape, marked by lava fields , offered little access to drinking water , leading to deaths from thirst and starvation . AFDL/RPA forces maintained relentless pressure on refugees. Checkpoints established between Mount Nyiragongo and Mugunga became sites of mass killings . Survivors reported that refugees intercepted at the park's exit were sorted by age and gender, with adult males systematically executed. The violence extended to makeshift camps within Virunga National Park, where refugees who sought temporary shelter were targeted. By February 1997, reports from local witnesses indicated that bodies of newly deceased refugees were discovered daily near
10057-465: The province is confronted with ongoing security challenges stemming from armed groups , resource-related conflicts , and ethnic tensions . The Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group has been a significant source of instability . As of early 2024, M23-related violence had displaced approximately 1.7 million people, accounting for nearly 14% of North Kivu's population. North Kivu has also been the site of multiple outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (including
10170-735: The territories of Lubero , Masisi , Walikale , and Beni . Human activities have markedly influenced the province's vegetation, particularly through establishing single-species plantations , mainly comprising Eucalyptus saligna and Grevillea robusta . These plantations, alongside community-operated village plantations, constitute the principal legitimate wood-energy sources for populations proximate to Virunga National Park. Additional species, such as Acacia mearnsii , are also cultivated, often interplanted with food crops to provide supplementary revenue streams for local populations. These monoculture plantations, extending over approximately 11,200 hectares, play an indispensable role in meeting
10283-410: The type specimen was found dead (" mummified ") on the summit of Mount Mikeno at 4,400 m in elevation; this record is both above the montane forest zone usually inhabited by this species and it is one of the most remote records of the species, leading to speculation that this is an extralimital individual. It has been suspected that this species may undertake seasonal altitudinal migration . The species
10396-457: The victims were instead led to their deaths, being killed with sticks, hammers, and axes. Indigenous residents were coerced into participating in the killings and were later forced to bury the bodies. In the Nyarusukula district of Walikale , which had been transformed into a restricted military zone, hundreds of refugees were killed. Civilians were prohibited from entering the area, and most of
10509-424: The victims were women and children. In the following days, soldiers committed further atrocities near Kampala, a town close to Hombo. Refugees were burned alive along the road, while many women were subjected to sexual violence before being killed. In Chambucha , four kilometers from Hombo, soldiers intercepted several hundred refugees, including a significant number of women and children, and executed them near
10622-545: The victims' bodies were disposed of in the Lowa River and its tributaries. In early 1997, more killings were reported at the Kariki makeshift camp, 13 kilometers from Walikale. Refugees who sought safety here became easy targets for the AFDL/RPA forces, and most of the victims' bodies were left unburied. The Second Congo War profoundly affected North Kivu, as conflict erupted due to deteriorating relations between President Laurent-Désiré Kabila , Rwanda, and Tutsi soldiers within
10735-423: The village of Butuhe, 10 kilometers north of Butembo, Vurondo Mayi-Mayi attacked a UPDF convoy escorting lorries transporting minerals . Similarly, on 9 November 2000, UPDF soldiers attacked the village of Kikere, close to Butuhe, killing 36 civilians with rifles and rocket launchers and systematically destroying homes and livestock . The UPDF's reign of terror in Beni included arbitrary arrests , torture , and
10848-471: The village of Ngenge in Walikale Territory, indiscriminately opening fire on residents. On 24 November, RCD-Goma and RPA soldiers beat a group of senior figures in the village to death. The same soldiers "killed civilians in the neighboring villages of Kangati and Kaliki". On 5 February 2000, at least 30 people were killed by RCD-Goma and RPA forces in the village of Kilambo, Masisi Territory. A local NGO identified 27 victims. During this period, members of
10961-419: The webbing of the primaries, but some birds are wholly black. Young birds have whitish crowns that appear dirty or faintly yellow. The bills of juvenals are likely light red, not black. Sexually monomorphic. The call has been described as a two-parted " tlu-uk " or " clu-uk " in the field, repeated as many as six times. Responds strongly to alarm calls from other individuals. The yellow-crested helmetshrike
11074-573: The wood-energy demands of North Kivu's residents, particularly in Goma. In 2011, the EcoMakala project emerged as a geographically integrated REDD+ initiative to mitigate emissions from deforestation and forest degradation . Between 2020 and 2021, EcoMakala+ secured USD 1.3 million in funding, allowing North Kivu to become the first province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to capitalize on carbon credit sales. North Kivu's climate
11187-664: Was occupied by German forces . Other crucial events of his reign included the adoption of the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919, the ruling of the Belgian Congo as an overseas possession of Belgium along with the League of Nations mandate of Ruanda-Urundi , the reconstruction of Belgium following the war, and the first five years of the Great Depression (1929–1934). Albert died in a mountaineering accident in eastern Belgium in 1934, at
11300-432: Was a committed conservationist and in 1925, influenced by the ideas of Carl E. Akeley , he founded Africa's first national park, now known as Virunga National Park , in what is now Democratic Republic of Congo . During this period, he was also the first reigning European monarch to visit the United States. A passionate alpinist , King Albert I died in a mountaineering accident on 17 February 1934, while climbing alone on
11413-432: Was born in Brussels as the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders , and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen , Albert succeeded his uncle Leopold II to the Belgian throne in 1909. He married Elisabeth of Bavaria , with whom he had three children. Albert ruled during an eventful period in the history of Belgium , which included the period of World War I (1914–1918), when most of Belgium
11526-471: Was conducted by Friedrich Krafft Graf von Crailsheim in the Throne Hall, and the religious wedding was conducted by Cardinal von Stein , assisted by Jakob von Türk , Confessionar of the King of Bavaria. Based on the letters written during their engagement and marriage (cited extensively in the memoirs of their daughter, Marie-José ) the young couple appear to have been deeply in love. The letters express
11639-410: Was deposited there. Several of those hypotheses with criminal motives were investigated by authorities, but doubts have remained ever since, being the subject of popular novels, books, and documentaries. Rumors of murder have been dismissed by most historians. There are two possible explanations for his death, according to the official juridical investigations: the first was that the king leaned against
11752-1061: Was directed to local trading houses ( comptoirs ) during the peak months of the trade, while the Rwandan army reportedly accrued upwards of $ 250 million over an 18-month period from coltan exported to Rwanda. These profits largely benefitted Rwandan and RCD-Goma military elites, business figures, and other individuals with ties to the Rwandan government . The Rwandan army's extraction and transfer operations were organized and controlled by senior commanders stationed in key territories such as Walikale and Masisi . Checkpoints were established to monitor and restrict civilian access to mining areas, while major towns and airstrips became stockpiling sites for coltan awaiting air or road transport. To facilitate these operations, new airstrips were built, and military helicopters, along with contracted companies such as Swala Express, Bukavu Air Transport , and Kivu-Air , transported coltan from remote mining zones directly to Rwanda, where state-operated facilities were used to store
11865-477: Was dissolved in April 2001 due to the Rwandan army's disregard for RCD-Goma's control, withholding of stocks by trading houses, and a decline in tantalum prices. Letters from RCD-Goma officials expressed concern over revenue losses due to direct coltan exports to Rwanda by Rwandan forces. Monthly exports, estimated at 46 tonnes and valued at up to $ 21 million on the global market. RCD-Goma also capitalized on its authority by selling coltan concessions, even those under
11978-554: Was erected in 1934 following his death earlier that year, he was the only King of the Belgians to have been called Albert. Upon his return to Brussels, King Albert made a speech in which he outlined the reforms he desired to see implemented in Belgium, including an improved military, universal suffrage and the establishment of a Flemish University in Ghent . From 23 September to 13 November 1919, King Albert, Queen Elisabeth of Bavaria , and their son Prince Leopold made an official visit to
12091-491: Was formally reinstated in 1988 under Ordinance-Law No. 88/1976 and Ordinance-Law No. 88-031, which redefined the previous Kivu Province into tripartite separate provinces: North Kivu, South Kivu, and Maniema. Presently, North Kivu comprises three cities— Goma , Butembo , and Beni —and six territories : Beni , Lubero , Masisi , Rutshuru , Nyiragongo , and Walikale . A 2013 decree also proposed city status for Kasindi , Oïcha , and Luholu. The province's eastern border
12204-559: Was likely higher. In early December 1996, AFDL/RPA forces attacked a makeshift camp in Mbeshe Mbeshe, Katoyi Chiefdom, killing hundreds of refugees and Zaireans indiscriminately. Survivors recalled the brutal nature of these assaults, with camps turned into death traps as soldiers opened fire on unarmed civilians. On 8 November 1996, survivors from Kahindo and Katale camps settled in Bashali Chiefdom , only to face renewed attacks by AFDL/RPA soldiers. Around 18 November, these forces stormed
12317-484: Was on board the King's special train. During his brief stay in Sacramento thousands came to see the Belgian royals, with mothers even holding out their babies for the King to kiss. During a visit of the historic Native American pueblo of Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico , King Albert decorated Father Anton Docher with Knight in the Order of Leopold II . Docher offered the King a turquoise cross mounted in silver made by
12430-448: Was seriously concerned with the situation of the working classes in Belgium, and personally travelled around working-class districts incognito, to observe the living conditions of the people. Shortly before his accession to the throne in 1909, Albert undertook an extensive tour of the Belgian Congo , which had been annexed by Belgium in 1908, finding the country in poor condition. Upon his return to Belgium, he recommended reforms to protect
12543-408: Was subjected to a harsh German occupation. The King, fearing the destructive results of the war for Belgium and Europe and appalled by the huge casualty rates, worked through secret diplomatic channels for a negotiated peace between Germany and the Entente based on the "no victors, no vanquished" concept. He considered that such a resolution to the conflict would best protect the interests of Belgium and
12656-599: Was systematically looted. The indigenous Twa communities in North Kivu suffered disproportionately during this period. Accused of collaborating with various armed factions, the Twa people were subjected to repeated attacks by both RCD-Goma soldiers and FDLR. Crimes against the Twa people included rape , arbitrary detention , and other inhumane acts rooted in both ethnic prejudice and superstitious beliefs. In March 2003, RCD-Goma forces gang-raped numerous Twa women in Mubambiro, near
12769-538: Was then the Belgian Congo . It is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo , with all confirmed records found from the Lendu Plateau west of Lake Mwitanzige (also known as Lake Albert) in the north to Mount Kabobo in the south. It has been suspected to occur outside of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as the type specimen is from Mount Mikeno near the border between the Democratic Republic of
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