Before the storm Photo

Photographer’s Note

Just 10 minutes before a storm people was peacefully talking in front of the Brazzaville cathedral.
They didn't worry about it.... maybe they were thinking about some others worst stroms which Congo went through....
Civil wars and militia conflicts have plagued the Republic of Congo in its recent past and the country is struggling to build on a peace accord signed with southern rebels in 2003.
After three coup-ridden but relatively peaceful decades of independence, the former French colony experienced the first of two destructive bouts of fighting when disputed parliamentary elections in 1993 led to bloody, ethnically-based fighting between pro-government forces and the opposition.
A ceasefire and the inclusion of some opposition members in the government helped to restore peace.
But in 1997 ethnic and political tensions exploded into a full-scale civil war, fuelled in part by the prize of the country's offshore oil wealth, which motivated many of the warlords (in the workshop you can see some traces of civil war...)
The army split along ethnic lines, with most northern officers joining President Denis Sassou-Nguesso's side, and most southerners backing the rebels. These were supporters of the former president, Pascal Lissouba, and his prime minister, Bernard Kolelas, who had been deposed by President Sassou-Nguesso in 1997.
By the end of 1999 the rebels had lost all their key positions to the government forces, who were backed by Angolan troops. The rebels then agreed to a ceasefire.
Remnants of the civil war militias, known as Ninjas, are still active in the southern Pool region. Most of them have yet to disarm and many have turned to banditry.
Congo is one of sub-Saharan Africa's main oil producers and the resource is the mainstay of the national economy.

vonp, grigand, brevbrev14, Silvio1953, adores, lestans, maximage, happypoppeye, Wanda1, ang25 trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

vonp (2235) 2007-04-17 15:30

Ciao Alberto,
Bellissima atmosfera con colori magnifici che spiccano sul cielo grigio.
Una bella scena di vita: autentica, genuina... africana.
A presto...
Paolo

grigand (12696) 2007-04-17 17:33

Ciao Alberto,
Gran bella immagine, ottimi i dettagli, mi piace la vista con le persone, ottimi i colori nonostante il cielo, aspettiamo altre immagini di questo sconosciuto paese.
Cioa
Andrea

brevbrev14 (372) 2007-04-18 7:13

ciao ALberto una buona composizione di questa cattedrale e ottimo spot sulla gente che abita il posto..
Un pochino un peccato per la punta sinistra della cattedrale, ma hai compensato benissimo con la donna in rosso che cammina a destra in basso!
bravo!
Ciao!
Valeria

Silvio1953 (42293) 2007-04-19 16:41

Ciao Alberto, grande atmosfera e splendida architettura, mi piace questa compositone piena di gente, spero che ne hai ancora molte del Congo, ciao Silvio

adores (15671) 2007-04-19 17:33

Olá Alberto!
Isto é uma verdadeira foto africana.Gosto desta composição com a catedral e estas pessoas de roupa colorida em volta.A senhora de vermelho que caminha á direita dá-nos uma sensação de movimento. Bem captada!
Anabela

mporta (3352) 2007-04-19 18:45

ciao Alberto
prima di un temporale il cielo è sempre molto terso e questa foto ne guadagna parecchio in nitidezza.
Bella la presenza delle persone nei coloratissimi abiti africani.
Peccato per quella bacheca di lamiera azzurra sulla sinistra, se non c'era era meglio.
ciao dall'Italia
Matteo

lestans (15480) 2007-04-20 2:50

Ciao Alberto!
la quiete prima della tempesta... e la storia di terribili tempeste belliche che hanno afflitto questa terra ricca di petrolio. Storie drammatiche e complicate, a fronte delle quali un temporale è niente, è vita quotidiana che continua.
Sei andato a creare un ospedale anche a Brazzaville? Queste attività di pace spero che aiutino oltre al loro concreto fine di salute.
Grazie per quello che ci racconti!

Livia

maximage (13496) 2007-04-20 17:20

Salut Alberto,
Mgnifique ambiance sur cette image très "Afrique".
Belles couleurs chaudes et atmosphère authentique.
Merci pour le partage de ces images originales et lointaines.
Amitiés.
max

vincz (19043) 2007-04-23 2:43

Salut Alberto. me voila de retour du Vietnam apres un tres beau et tres interessant voyage. je vois que tu continues a peupler la galerie congolaise avec cette bien belle image montrant le rendez-vous de deux cultures sur le continent africian. la vie de tous les jours africianes devant l'eglise de notre continent. belle prise.

Wanda1 (11011) 2007-05-01 7:17

Hi Alberto,
Some intersting details here on the building and on the clothing of the people. Nice warm colours in this scene.
Regards
Wanda

sarahnatalie (693) 2007-05-08 21:02

I don't know why I didn't comment on this before, because I have looked at it a number of times and have always found it very attractive. The mood of this image is palpable... a weather disturbance that people are ignoring in the face of something much larger that they have, and continue to live through. An incredible country with incredible people. Thanks for sharing!!
Sarah