M 22
Encyclopedia
M 22 was a political movement in Congo-Brazzaville. It was active in 1972 and 73 before its guerrilla base was compromised and most of its cadre arrested including its leader Ange Diawara
.
In 1976 some M 22 members were reincorporated into public life and appointed in positions of power after a pardon by Congo leader, Ngouabi. M22 remained a force in the countries politics until the 1989 party congress when all M 22 presence was removed from the Central Committee.
(PCT). The movement was violently suppressed, and the purges against accused associates of the movement had a profound impact on Congolese politics. A majority of the political cadres of the country were purged in the anti-M 22 campaign.
The movement was formed by followers of Ange Diawara
, a leader of the left-wing faction of the Congolese Party of Labour
, who had led a failed coup attempt against the government of Marien Ngouabi
on February 22, 1972. The movement gathered a grouping of former youth militias of the National Movement of the Revolution
. After the uprising had been quashed, Diawara and his followers regrouped and formed a guerrilla base in the Pool region. Diawara borrowed inspiration from Che Guevara
and the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon
. The name 'M 22' was taken from the document Autocritique du M 22 ('Self-criticism
of M 22', authored by Diawara), which was circulated clandestinely in Brazzaville
. Parallel to the rural guerrilla movement a clandestine urban opposition network (consisting of student activists and militaries) developed, also under the direction of Diawara.
In early 1973 the movement suffered a serious set-back as the guerrilla base was infiltrated. Diawara and other leaders fled to neighbouring Zaire
. On February 23, 1973, a wave of arrests was made in Brazzaville against supposed conspirators of Diawara. Ngouabi claimed Diawara had prepared another coup. Amongst the arrested were many prominent figures, politicians and leaders of mass organizations. For example, Pascal Lissouba
(former Prime Minister) and Sylvain Bemba (Minister of Information) were among the jailed. Diawara and other M 22 leaders were arrested and executed. Their mutilated corpses were displayed at the national stadium.
. At the time Camille Boungou was the leader of M 22.
In the PCT Central Committee
formed in 1979, there were five persons from M 22, Camille Boungou, Lt. Célestin Goma-Foutou (who had also been a member in the 1974 Central Committee), Benoît Moundéllé-Ngolo, Bernard Combo-Matsiona and Alphonse Fongui.
During the latter half of the 1980s, the M 22 opposed the introduction of Structural Adjustment Program
mes. At the 1989 party congress, all M 22 presence was removed from the Central Committee. Later, the same year Bernard Combo-Matsiona was elected president of the National Assembly (the last M 22 member in high-ranking position).
Ange Diawara
Ange Diawara was a politician and military figure from the Republic of the Congo.Diawara was born in Sibiti. When the National Revolutionary Council was established in August 1968, Diawara became First Vice-President of the CNR Executive Board in charge of Defense and Security; he was...
.
In 1976 some M 22 members were reincorporated into public life and appointed in positions of power after a pardon by Congo leader, Ngouabi. M22 remained a force in the countries politics until the 1989 party congress when all M 22 presence was removed from the Central Committee.
Rebellion
M 22 emerged out of the left-wing of the governing Congolese Party of LabourCongolese Party of Labour
The Congolese Party of Labour , founded in 1969 by Marien Ngouabi, is the ruling political party of the Republic of the Congo...
(PCT). The movement was violently suppressed, and the purges against accused associates of the movement had a profound impact on Congolese politics. A majority of the political cadres of the country were purged in the anti-M 22 campaign.
The movement was formed by followers of Ange Diawara
Ange Diawara
Ange Diawara was a politician and military figure from the Republic of the Congo.Diawara was born in Sibiti. When the National Revolutionary Council was established in August 1968, Diawara became First Vice-President of the CNR Executive Board in charge of Defense and Security; he was...
, a leader of the left-wing faction of the Congolese Party of Labour
Congolese Party of Labour
The Congolese Party of Labour , founded in 1969 by Marien Ngouabi, is the ruling political party of the Republic of the Congo...
, who had led a failed coup attempt against the government of Marien Ngouabi
Marien Ngouabi
Marien Ngouabi was the military President of the Republic of the Congo from January 1, 1969 to March 18, 1977.-Origins:...
on February 22, 1972. The movement gathered a grouping of former youth militias of the National Movement of the Revolution
National Movement of the Revolution
The National Movement of the Revolution was a political party in the Republic of the Congo. MNR was founded at a congress held June 29 to July 6, 1964. MNR was instituted as the sole legal political party in the country on July 20, 1964, according to the Law No. 25-65. Pre-existing political...
. After the uprising had been quashed, Diawara and his followers regrouped and formed a guerrilla base in the Pool region. Diawara borrowed inspiration from Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
and the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon
Union of the Peoples of Cameroon
The Union of the Peoples of Cameroon is a political party in Cameroon.-History:UPC was founded on April 10, 1948, at a meeting in the bar Chez Sierra in Bassa. 12 men assisted the founding meeting, including Charles Assalé, Léonard Bouli, and Guillaume Bagal. The majority of the participants were...
. The name 'M 22' was taken from the document Autocritique du M 22 ('Self-criticism
Self-criticism
Self-criticism refers to the pointing out of things critical/important to one's own beliefs, thoughts, actions, behaviour or results; it can form part of private, personal reflection or a group discussion.-Philosophy:...
of M 22', authored by Diawara), which was circulated clandestinely in Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
. Parallel to the rural guerrilla movement a clandestine urban opposition network (consisting of student activists and militaries) developed, also under the direction of Diawara.
In early 1973 the movement suffered a serious set-back as the guerrilla base was infiltrated. Diawara and other leaders fled to neighbouring Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
. On February 23, 1973, a wave of arrests was made in Brazzaville against supposed conspirators of Diawara. Ngouabi claimed Diawara had prepared another coup. Amongst the arrested were many prominent figures, politicians and leaders of mass organizations. For example, Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of the Congo from August 31, 1992 to October 15, 1997. He was overthrown by the current President Denis Sassou Nguesso in the 1997 civil war....
(former Prime Minister) and Sylvain Bemba (Minister of Information) were among the jailed. Diawara and other M 22 leaders were arrested and executed. Their mutilated corpses were displayed at the national stadium.
Post-pardon
In 1976, some M 22 dissidents were reincorporated into public life, benefitting from a pardon by Ngouabi after the March 24, 1974 general strikeGeneral strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
. At the time Camille Boungou was the leader of M 22.
In the PCT Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
formed in 1979, there were five persons from M 22, Camille Boungou, Lt. Célestin Goma-Foutou (who had also been a member in the 1974 Central Committee), Benoît Moundéllé-Ngolo, Bernard Combo-Matsiona and Alphonse Fongui.
During the latter half of the 1980s, the M 22 opposed the introduction of Structural Adjustment Program
Structural adjustment
Structural adjustments are the policies implemented by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in developing countries. These policy changes are conditions for getting new loans from the International Monetary Fund or World Bank, or for obtaining lower interest rates on existing loans...
mes. At the 1989 party congress, all M 22 presence was removed from the Central Committee. Later, the same year Bernard Combo-Matsiona was elected president of the National Assembly (the last M 22 member in high-ranking position).