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Across the river, the ROC under French control also experienced severe exploitation, where forced labor defined the extraction of rubber, timber, and minerals. Colonial narratives painted their governance as a "civilizing mission," masking the underlying greed and brutality that marked both territories.
The Paths to Independence and Aftermath
The crumbling of colonial empires led to independence movements across Africa, culminating in the granting of independence to the DRC in 1960 and the ROC soon after. While independence sparked initial optimism, both nations quickly fell into cycles of instability and violence.