Knut at 03:31, 10 December 2008

Knut — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:31:37 GMT

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'''''Salongo''''' ("Work" in the Lingala language) was an obligatory civic work program introduced by the [[Mobutu Sese Seko|Mobutu regime]] in 1973, ostensibly to foster a return to communalism and solidarity inherent in traditional society. Intended to mobilize the people to perform collective work "with enthusiasm and without restraint," ''salongo'' was, in fact, forced labor. Citizens were required to perform one afternoon of labor per week on agricultural and development projects. The program proved highly unpopular, and so many [[Zaire|Zairians]] refused to perform their ''salongo'' duties that many local administrators turned a blind eye. Even though shirking one's ''salongo'' duties carried a penalty of one to six months' imprisonment, by the end of the 1970s, rare indeed was the Zairian who did not shirk his duties. Ironically, the self-proclaimed anti-colonialist Mobutu's "revolutionary" program revived one of the most despised features (forced labor) of the colonial state whose legacy he was purportedly working to erase.

[[Category:History of Zaire]]
[[Category:Economy of Zaire]]

Salongo - Revision history

Knut at 03:31, 10 December 2008