The aftermath of a five-year civil war in the democratic Republic of the Congo was presented to about 20 Marquette students Tuesday in documentary form.

The documentary, "The Peacekeepers," focused on the United Nations' Peacekeeping mission in the Congo from summer 2002 to spring 2004. Five million Congolese lost their lives during the war, while 55 million remain alive in areas fraught with war, disease and malnutrition.

Despite the end of fighting, chaos still presides in the Congo, according to the film. The western half of the country is struggling, as a transitional government in the capital, Kinshasa, attempts to maintain stability.

Despite the wealth that comes from the gold and diamond mines in the eastern half of the country, Ituri is one of the least stable and most conflicted areas. The region is controlled by a dozen warlords fighting for power, especially in the capital of Bunia. The U.N. fears that if Ituri goes, all of Congo will fall with it, according to the documentary.

One of the greatest challenges for the U.N. is getting military and financial support from the international community. The U.N. has increased spending in the Congo to over $1 billion annually for maintaining the peace effort.

When the 5,000 Ugandan troops who had been keeping order in Ituri withdrew, a meager 750 Uruguayan troops replaced them. It is nearly impossible for the U.N., according to the documentary, to convince first-world countries to send troops to the highly dangerous regions of the Congo.

The U.N. Peacekeeping Mission needed the assistance and support of the U.S. The U.S. was hesitant to give support, fearing the Congo would turn into a more expensive crisis.

In summer 2003, the U.N. Security Council consented to an Ituri brigade and issued a mandate providing an intervention force to protect civilians and enforce the cease-fire, according to the film.

The Marquette chapter of Americans for Informed Democracy, a student organization that seeks to raise global awareness of the U.S. role in the world, co-sponsored the documentary.

"We seek to build a global generation that can lead America in our increasingly interdependent world," said AID Chair Seth Green.

Neal Styka, a member of AID, introduced the documentary.

"The United Nations in its truest form acts … to protect and build a safer world for all countries and people. In the US, we need to learn and discuss the role of the UN," Styka said.

Julia Jacobsmeyer, a freshman in the College of Engineering, agreed.

"It's really good that Marquette's clubs and organizations show these documentaries to give us a different perspective of what's going on in the world," she said.

Jesuit University Students Together in Concerned Empowerment, or JUSTICE, also sponsored the screening.