What is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo has changed names a few times over the last half century. Until 1960 it was a Belgian colony known as the Belgian Congo. The Belgium rule was harsh, and the Congo was treated as little more than the personal fiefdom of King Leopold of Belgium who plundered the land and treated its people as little more than slaves. On gaining independence, political instability ensued followed by a coup in 1965 which installed Joseph-Désiré Mobutu as national leader. Mobutu then changed both his name to Mobutu Sese Seko and that of the country to Zaire, or Republic of Zaire with himself as president. He stayed in power until 1997 when his regime fell to the armies of Rwanda and Burundi with Laurent Kabila then installed as president. However a further insurrection was quashed with the aid of neighbouring countries. Kabila continued to rule until his assassination in 2001 after which his son became head of state.

These decades saw years of brutal wars and disputes around its borders. Millions have been displaced, millions killed and it is now know as the 'rape capital of the world'.  It is estimated that the wars in the Congo have killed upwards of 5.4 million people, the most causalities of any war in earth's history, save for the Second World War. Even in 2009 it has been estimated that around forty five thousand people a month were dying.

Although this situation is slowly changing and foreign investment is beginning to rise following successful elections in 2007, the conflict and murder is ongoing in the east of the country. The Democratic Republic of Congo has been described as more of a geographical concept than a proper nation; a nation that's sitting on a bed of an estimated twenty-four trillion US dollars of natural resources making it a land people are prepared to fight and die for. This video documentary charts the history of the Democratic Republic of Congo from colonial times to its more recent past in what is not just a catalogue of murders, assassinations and failed politics, but an unfolding and seemingly everlasting tragedy for the country's 71 million inhabitants.