drc: Warlords and adventurers in scramble for riches

Ituri, the province where the peace process in Congo now faces its stiffest challenge and where French-led peacekeepers are attempting to halt the bloodshed, has remained a frontier of unbridled capitalism ever since King Leopold of Belgium sent in two Australian gold prospectors 100 years ago. Warlords and adventurers have thrived on the trade in gold, diamonds and timber, receiving arms in exchange from godfathers in Kinshasa, Uganda and Rwanda, all of which have been battling for control of the province through proxies.