Figure 1.-- Beginning with the post-War Decolonization procss we begin to see refugees in Sub-Saharan Africa. The first major refugee crisis occurred in the former Belgian Congo. Here we see child refugees in 1967. The press caption read, "Congo Children Rescued: Congo children are unloaded from Red Cross plane at Kisangani. The Red Cross has evacuated about 110 refugees from the Congo troubled area. The Congolese army was reported planning to move against a force of mercenaries which had occupied Kisangani." The image is dated July 17, 1967.

Migrations and regugee flows occurred in Africa long before the arrival of the Europeans. Here we are talking about-Sub-Saharan Africa. North Africa is of course part of Africa, but given its Islamic culture, better discusses with the Middle ast. The Africa people until modern times were were pre-literate and as a result there is no historical record. We know that the technologically advanced Bantu people migrated out of West Africa. The less advanced people like the pygmies in Central Africa and San people of South Africa were driven into marginal land. Anthropologists have devloped some information, but there us no historical record. The slave trade is not precisely a refugee flow, but the captured Africans share some of the chrcteristics of refugees. It was a massive flow of people, affecting both Africa and the areas to which the slaves were trasported. Most attention is given to the European Trans-Atlantic slave trade to the Americas. There was also an important Arab slave trade to the Mddle East and North Africa. During the colonial period, we note Africans appearing in Europe seeking both jobs and education, but in relatively small numbers. Many of early African nationalist leaders in both Africa and Asia during the de-Colonization era had European experiences and more limited merican experiences. We do not know much about African refugees until the post-World War II De-colonization process. The resulting wars, tribal conlicts, Islamic extreemism, and oppresive leaders have created large numbers of refugees, in some cases huge numbers. Congo has been especially troubled. The first major refugee crisis which actually continues to this day. A genocide in Rawanda and Darfur have been especially tragic. Africans fleeing the poverty and chaos in many countries have joined the Middle Eastern flow into Europe in recent years. This often is very dangerous given the geography and terraine as well as the fact that many are Christians traveling thoriugh Muslim countries.

Pre-history

The Africa people until modern times were were pre-literate and as a result there is no historical record. We know that the technologically advanced Bantu people migrated out of West Africa. The less advanced people like the pygmies in Central Africa and San people of South Africa were driven into marginal land. Anthropologists have devloped some information, but there us no historical record.

Slave Trade

The slave trade is not precisely a refugee flow, but the captured Africans share some of the chrcteristics of refugees. It was a massive flow of people, affecting both Africa and the areas to which the slaves were trasported. Most attention is given to the European Trans-Atlantic slave trade to the Americas. There was also an important Arab slave trade to the Mddle East and North Africa.

Colonial Era

We do not notice major refugee flows during the colonial era. One exceotion was Africans fkeeling the Zuklu in southern Africa. Another exception was the aftermath of the Heroe Wars in German Southwest Africa, modern Angola. During the colonial period, we note Africans appearing in Europe seeking both jobs and education, but in relatively small numbers. Many of early African nationalist leaders in both Africa and Asia during the de-Colonization era had European experiences and more limited American experiences. Belgian behaior in the Congo was brutal, but does not seem to have caused a major refugee flow.

De-Colonization

We do not know much about African refugees until the post-World War II De-colonization process. Unlike Asia, the De-Colonization process in Africa did not create major refugee crises. This was because there was little European resistance. The problem was not European efforts to retain their colonies, but lack of preparation for independence. Before World War II neither the Europeans or the colonial period understood how quickly independence would come. And thus only the most basic steps toward self rule and public education were mase. After the War, the colonial people began demanding indepence before they were really ready for it. Only the Poortuguese resisted decolonization. And we see refugees streaming to neigboring states. The British did resist De-colonization in Kenya, but after the Mau-Mau Insurgency (1950s), rapidly turned over rule to the leaders emerging in the various colonies. The ony place the French resisted was in Niorth Africa, fuighting a cost war in Algeria. A major problem developed in the Belgian Congo, not because the Belgian Government resisted, but because they had made no effort to prepare the Congolese for independence. And a struggle for power developed between Congolese groups along with mining interests. Tragically conflicts continue to this day.

Independence Era

With the departure of the European colonial powers, tribal conflicts began to emerge. The post-colonial independence era has led to incesent wars and tragic refugee flows throughout the continent. The resulting wars, mostly tribal conlicts and rebellions against oppresive leaders (often mixed) have created large numbers of refugees, in some cases huge numbers. Congo has been especially troubled. The first major refugee crisis which began in 1960 actually continues to this day. The Cold War, White Apartheid, and Islamic extremism has fed into the violence. Genocide in Rawanda and Sudan (Darfur and South Sudan) were especially tragic. The situation was furthur complicatd by the Cold War as well as environmental conditions, espcially the desertification of the Sahel. Serious refugee crises as a result developed in many African countries. The countries involved did not have the administrarive and economic capabilities to deal with the problems and ideological beliefs in Socialism and Communism, despite the expectations of the new leaders and African people, adversely affected efforts at economic development that created problems and fed into unrest and refuge problems. A new problem hs develped with the turn-of-the 21st century. Africans fleeing the poverty and chaos in many countries have joined the Middle Eastern flow into Europe in recent years. This often is very dangerous given the geography and terraine as well as the fact that many are Christians traveling through Muslim countries.

Created: 10:11 PM 2/4/2018
Last updated: 9:23 AM 8/21/2018