Politician, Kidnapping Victim. Moise Kapend Tshombe was President of the secessionist Republic of Katanga when the Congo Republic became independent of Belgium. Today, the Congo Republic is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Taking advantage of a civil unrest, the session of the mineral-enriched, primarily copper and diamonds, Katanga province occurred in July 11, 1960 and held this status for almost three years. Tshombe claimed that the Congo was being rule by dictatorship and a Communist-form of government. Tshombe had his own army and soon a bloody civil war began. Tshombe failed to win diplomatic recognition for his state, and after the United Nations intervened with force in Katanga in January of 1963 and defeated his troops, Tshombe fled to Spain. He was called from exile to become President of the Congo in July of 1964. He was ousted by a military coup in October of 1965 as he had used white mercenaries to fight against rebels in his country. At this point, he went into exile in Spain again. With rumors of his plans to return to the Congo, he was kidnapped and taken to Algeria in 1967. The British jet which was taking him to the Congo was hijacked. The Congo government wanted to extradite and have him stand trial for treason, but the Algerian officials refused this request. The trial was held and he was hung in absentia. Tshombe was place under house arrest in Algeria and died of a heart attack there two years later. Born the son of a wealthy father, he inherited a great sum at his father’s death. When his investments failed, he went into politics.
Politician, Kidnapping Victim. Moise Kapend Tshombe was President of the secessionist Republic of Katanga when the Congo Republic became independent of Belgium. Today, the Congo Republic is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Taking advantage of a civil unrest, the session of the mineral-enriched, primarily copper and diamonds, Katanga province occurred in July 11, 1960 and held this status for almost three years. Tshombe claimed that the Congo was being rule by dictatorship and a Communist-form of government. Tshombe had his own army and soon a bloody civil war began. Tshombe failed to win diplomatic recognition for his state, and after the United Nations intervened with force in Katanga in January of 1963 and defeated his troops, Tshombe fled to Spain. He was called from exile to become President of the Congo in July of 1964. He was ousted by a military coup in October of 1965 as he had used white mercenaries to fight against rebels in his country. At this point, he went into exile in Spain again. With rumors of his plans to return to the Congo, he was kidnapped and taken to Algeria in 1967. The British jet which was taking him to the Congo was hijacked. The Congo government wanted to extradite and have him stand trial for treason, but the Algerian officials refused this request. The trial was held and he was hung in absentia. Tshombe was place under house arrest in Algeria and died of a heart attack there two years later. Born the son of a wealthy father, he inherited a great sum at his father’s death. When his investments failed, he went into politics.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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