A new documentary episode from ARTE examines the 32-year dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko in the Democratic Republic of the Congo [1].
The series, titled "Mobutu – Maître du jeu," explores how Cold War geopolitical interests allowed a despotic regime to persist despite widespread human rights abuses. By documenting the relationship between Western powers and the former Zairean leader, the film provides a critical look at the external support that sustained an era of instability.
The production focuses on the period between 1965 and 1997 [1]. According to the ARTE description, the series investigates "thirty-two years of atrocities, the complicity of the West and tens of thousands of deaths in the Congo" [1]. The narrative tracks the rise and fall of Mobutu, who positioned himself as a key ally to Western nations during the Cold War to maintain power.
Mobutu's tenure was marked by extreme violence and systemic corruption. The documentary highlights that tens of thousands of people died during his rule [1]. The film suggests that this scale of loss was exacerbated by the strategic interests of foreign governments, which prioritized anti-communist stability over democratic governance, or human rights in Central Africa.
This specific episode, the fourth in a four-part series, is titled "Après moi, le déluge" [2]. It is currently available for viewing on ARTE's website and YouTube, with access provided until May 31, 2027 [1].
The documentary serves as a historical record of one of the most emblematic despots of the Cold War era. It seeks to expose the legacy of a regime that left the Congo in a state of economic and social collapse long after Mobutu's departure from power.
“Trente-deux ans d'atrocités, la complicité de l'Occident et des dizaines de milliers de morts au Congo”
The documentary highlights a recurring pattern in Cold War history where Western intelligence and diplomatic services supported autocratic leaders to prevent Soviet influence. In the case of Mobutu, this complicity provided a shield for internal atrocities, creating a legacy of institutional fragility in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that continues to impact the region's stability today.
