Congo, Sudan are icons of glorious and tragic history
Pope Francis with DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi at the Palais de la Nation in Kinshasa on January 31, 2023. The ring of the words “Congo” and “Sudan” brings memories of Africa’s glorious and tragic history. PHOTO | TIZIANA FABI | AFP
Pope Francis has ended his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. The ring of the words “Congo” and “Sudan” brings memories of Africa’s glorious and tragic history.
When we hear Congo, we remember King Leopold’s brutal colonialism, which featured chopping off children’s hands as punishment to their parents. We remember, too, the equally cruel reign of Mobutu Sese Seko, and the ostentatious palace he built in the jungle. The palace, nicknamed Versailles in the Jungle, replicated the fabled palace built by French King Louis XIV in the 17th century.
