Pweto Territory
Encyclopedia
Pweto Territory is a territory
in Katanga Province
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC).
The headquarters are in the town of Pweto
.
.
It lies to the west and north of Lake Mweru
on the border with Zambia
.
The Luvua River
, a headstream of the Congo River
, leaves the lake just west of the town of Pwetu to flow north its confluence with the Lualaba River
opposite the town of Ankoro
.
Other rivers flowing through the territory include the Lubule River, the Lumekele River and the Kilulishi River.
The territory is subdivided into the following chiefdoms and sectors
: Kiona-Nzini Chiefdom, Moero Sector
, Mwenge Sector and Pweto Chiefdom
There is no formal industry apart from the Dikulushi Mine
near Kilwa
, the capital of Moero Sector, operated by Anvil Mining
, an Australian company.
There is informal mining in other areas, including cassiterite
pits at the village of Kapulo.
The ore is exported through Zambia, bypassing customs posts.
Although the civil war ended in 2003, the region has been severely damaged by the civil war and reconstruction has been slow.
Most of the rural residents are returned refugees or internally displaced people from other regions.
Basic government services are still not available, public infrastructure is in poor condition and the local economy is scarcely functional. Corruption and lack of confidence in stability are handicaps to investment.
The forests of Pweto territory were once home to thousands of pygmies, locally called Batembo, but only a few hundred families are left. Many of them fled or were killed by the Mai Mai militia of Gédéon Kyungu Mutanga
between 2003 and 2006.
Mutanga was later sentenced to death for of crimes against humanity, insurgency, and terrorism.
The pygmies, many of whom have moved to towns and villages for greater security, are marginalized, subject to prejudice and discrimination.
A 2007 report said there was no longer any significant presence of Mayi-Mayi fighters in the territory, but one of the two remaining full FARDC brigades in Katanga was stationed in Pweto Territory.
This brigade, the 62nd, had a reputation for harassing civilians and had been implicated in illegally exploiting the Cassiterite mine in Kapulo
. The soldiers were said to engage in extortion, illegal taxation, forced labour, theft, torture and humiliation of civilians.
Territories of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The provinces and districts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are divided into 192 territories and communes...
in Katanga Province
Katanga Province
Katanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
(DRC).
The headquarters are in the town of Pweto
Pweto
Pweto is a town in the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . It is the administrative center of the Pweto Territory. The town was the scene of a decisive battle in December 2000 during the Second Congo War which resulted in both sides making more active efforts to achieve...
.
Geography
Pweto is part of the district of Haut-KatangaHaut-Katanga District
Haut-Katanga District is a district located in the Katanga Province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo....
.
It lies to the west and north of Lake Mweru
Lake Mweru
Lake Mweru is a freshwater lake on the longest arm of Africa's second-longest river, the Congo. Located on the border between Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, it makes up 110 km of the total length of the Congo, lying between its Luapula River and Luvua River segments.Mweru...
on the border with Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
.
The Luvua River
Luvua River
The Luvua River is a river in the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . It flows from the northern end of Lake Mweru on the Zambia-Congo border in a northwesterly direction for to its confluence with the Lualaba River opposite the town of Ankoro...
, a headstream of the Congo River
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
, leaves the lake just west of the town of Pwetu to flow north its confluence with the Lualaba River
Lualaba River
The Lualaba River is the greatest headstream of the Congo River by volume of water. However, by length the Chambeshi River is the farthest headstream. The Lualaba is 1800 km long, running from near Musofi in the vicinity of Lubumbashi in Katanga Province. The whole of its length lies within the...
opposite the town of Ankoro
Ankoro
Ankoro is a town in Haut-Katanga District, Democratic Republic of the Congo.It lies on the west bank of the Lualaba River opposite the point where it is joined by the Luvua River.-Civil war:...
.
Other rivers flowing through the territory include the Lubule River, the Lumekele River and the Kilulishi River.
The territory is subdivided into the following chiefdoms and sectors
Chiefdoms and sectors of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Chiefdoms and sectors of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are the fourth-level administrative divisions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.-Aketi Territory:* Avuru-Duma Chiefdom* Avuru-Gatanga Chiefdom* Bondongola Chiefdom* Mabinza Chiefdom...
: Kiona-Nzini Chiefdom, Moero Sector
Moero Sector
Moero Sector is an administrative division of Pweto Territory in Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo .The headquarters are in the town of Kilwa.Moero Sector lies to the west of Lake Mweru....
, Mwenge Sector and Pweto Chiefdom
Economy
The territory is agriculturally productive and the lake is rich in fish.There is no formal industry apart from the Dikulushi Mine
Dikulushi Mine
The Dikulushi mine is a copper mine and silver mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located some west of Lake Mweru and north of Kilwa in the Moero Sector of Pweto Territory, Katanga Province....
near Kilwa
Kilwa, Katanga
Kilwa is a small town, headquarters of Moero Sector, Pweto Territory, Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo .Kilwa lies on the west shore of Lake Mweru opposite Kilwa Island, which is part of Zambia.Kilwa is from Lubumbashi...
, the capital of Moero Sector, operated by Anvil Mining
Anvil Mining
Anvil Mining is a copper producer that has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2002.The company headquarters are based in Montreal, Canada.Anvil is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Australian Stock Exchange....
, an Australian company.
There is informal mining in other areas, including cassiterite
Cassiterite
Cassiterite is a tin oxide mineral, SnO2. It is generally opaque, but it is translucent in thin crystals. Its luster and multiple crystal faces produce a desirable gem...
pits at the village of Kapulo.
The ore is exported through Zambia, bypassing customs posts.
Security issues
Pweto Territory saw several combats during the Congo wars. With the cease fire, the front line between the RCD-Goma and the Forces Armées Congolaise cut off the north of Pweto from the south.Although the civil war ended in 2003, the region has been severely damaged by the civil war and reconstruction has been slow.
Most of the rural residents are returned refugees or internally displaced people from other regions.
Basic government services are still not available, public infrastructure is in poor condition and the local economy is scarcely functional. Corruption and lack of confidence in stability are handicaps to investment.
The forests of Pweto territory were once home to thousands of pygmies, locally called Batembo, but only a few hundred families are left. Many of them fled or were killed by the Mai Mai militia of Gédéon Kyungu Mutanga
Gédéon Kyungu Mutanga
Gédéon Kyungu Mutanga is a leader of the Mai-Mai militia group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On 16 May 2006 he was detained. In 2009 he and his wife were convicted for committing crimes against humanity during the Second Congo War. Gédéon was sentenced to death...
between 2003 and 2006.
Mutanga was later sentenced to death for of crimes against humanity, insurgency, and terrorism.
The pygmies, many of whom have moved to towns and villages for greater security, are marginalized, subject to prejudice and discrimination.
A 2007 report said there was no longer any significant presence of Mayi-Mayi fighters in the territory, but one of the two remaining full FARDC brigades in Katanga was stationed in Pweto Territory.
This brigade, the 62nd, had a reputation for harassing civilians and had been implicated in illegally exploiting the Cassiterite mine in Kapulo
Kapulo
Kapulo is a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the location of a cassiterite mine and of a planned copper mine.In 2007 one of the two remaining full FARDC brigades in Katanga was stationed in Pweto Territory. This brigade, the 62nd, was illegally exploiting the Cassiterite mine in...
. The soldiers were said to engage in extortion, illegal taxation, forced labour, theft, torture and humiliation of civilians.