Last updated: 30 june, 2010 - 14:32 GMT
DR Congo marks 50 years of freedom from Belgian colonial rule
Congo is still recovering from a five year war that left millions dead, and what the UN describes as a 'serious' humanitarian situation in the east
The Democratic Republic of Congo is marking the fiftieth anniversary of its independence from Belgium with a large military parade in the capital, Kinshasa.
The city has been given a makeover, while the United Nations head, Ban Ki-moon, and King Albert II of Belgium are among the guests.
But the celebrations will pass many Congolese by, despite the country's mineral wealth, as most live on less than two dollars a day.
These Congolese people told the BBC how they feel about celebrating their independence.
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Rubber and ivory from the Democratic Republic of Congo made Belgium a fortune, and paid for palatial imperial buildings in Brussels.
One of them is the Royal Museum for Central Africa, which even its curator admits illustrates a very Belgian perspective on Congolese culture and independence.
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First broadcast 30 June 2010
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