Recurring conflict in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo : the search for a regional conflict transformation mechanism premised on collective security and the African ethical concept of ubuntu.
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Date
2016
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Abstract
The recurrence of conflict in the eastern of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has
resulted in peace-building efforts from national, international, regional and sub-regional as
well as well as nongovernmental actors all aimed at bringing about peace and security to that
region of the DRC. Despite of all these peace-building efforts, the eastern DRC has remained
in a perennial state of armed conflicts. The political situation of DRC which, since the end of
colonialism has remained unstable has also contributed to the situation of perennial conflict
in the eastern DRC. None of the Congolese political leaders has succeeded in bringing an end
to the conflict in the eastern DRC. Whilst numerous efforts have been made in the form of
peace agreements, negotiations and reconciliation processes in an effort to bring an end to
conflicts in eastern DRC, this perennial situation of conflict has continued unabated. As a
result of recurrence of conflict in eastern DRC, there has been rampant violation of human
rights, war crimes, displacement of civilians, destruction of property and infrastructure, small
arms trafficking and illegal exploitation of natural resources. The United Nations (UN) and its Security Council (UNSC) has not been effective in
addressing this situation of recurring conflict in eastern DRC in the sense that it has failed to
provide financial and material support to regional bodies such as the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) and the International Conference of the Great Lakes
Region (ICGLR). These organisations are more knowledgeable about the solution that can
serve as a panacea to the end of of conflict in eastern DRC. However, the United Nations
Security Council (UNSC) has monopolised the whole process of conflict resolution in the
eastern DRC to the exclusion of regional organisations and this has been one of the
contributory factors to the recurrence. This study thus raises the question of the interests
which the UNSC is representing in the eastern DRC. Since the UNSC has failed to bring to
an end a situation of recurring conflict in eastern DRC, it is the argument of this thesis that
there is a need for peacebuilding mechanisms that are initiated by the SADC as a regional
formation which according to the UN Charter is responsible for the implementation of the
Collective Security System. The presumption behind the UN Collective Security system is
that the regional entity is more knowledgeable on what needs to be done in resolving
conflicts in its own region. Since most the peacebuilding mechanisms that have been applied by United Nations (UN),
UNSC and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) with the aim of resolving recurring conflict in eastern DRC have failed to come to fruition, it is the main argument of this thesis
that the African ethic of Ubuntu which has principles which echo the ideals of the UN
Collective Security system can be a panacea to a durable peace and security in the eastern
DRC. The main principles that are imbedded in the ethic of Ubuntu such as community,
harmony and common belongingness can be appealed to and implemented within the region
as part and parcel of creative action in peacebuilding processes in the eastern DRC. In this
scenario, Ubuntu has ushered in the need to uphold the humanness, moral virtues and dignity
as key aspects in addressing the seemingly unending conflict in the eastern DRC. Both
external and internal players must have a fellow feeling of the suffering. The virtue implies
human being inherent ability to appreciate the suffering of others as their own in order to
raise joy, hope and aspiration for a better future. The conflict transformation whose dignity
they want accorded to them should be the same dignity they should accord to others. It was
thus the main argument of this study that the African Ethical Concept of Ubuntu should be
integral to conflict transformation efforts in the eastern part of the DRC.
Description
Doctor of Philosophy in Ethics. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2016.