Post Conflict Reconstruction and the Resurgence of Supposedly Resolved Territorial Conflicts: Examining the Drc Peace Process
NYUYKONGE Charles
PhD Candidate of International Relations,
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg—South Africa
ABSTRACT
Beyond the rhetoric of traditional causes of conflicts which intermittently are also at the root cause of African territorial civil conflicts, this paper examines the question as to why conflict resurges in states where conflict has previously been resolved. From the perspective of two major theoretical frameworks in International Relations: Liberalism and Realism, this paper argues that mechanisms for conflict resolution are often short-termed and often not home-groomed to accommodate the needs of citizens emanating from a civil war. Liberals argue that this is primarily a failure of cooperation between external and internal actors or stakeholders in the peace process. To them, this lack of cooperation generates economic problems and inhibits mistrust which is the embryo for conflict resurgence. In contrast conflict resolution fails primarily as a result of factors emphasized by Realism. The conflict may not have been ripe for resolution because the practical meaning of recognition revealed large gaps between the ways that the parties defined their core interests. Against this background and given the depth of antagonism between the DRC government and MONUC on the one hand and rebel movements on the other, economic wealth of the Congo has failed to generate support for the peace process. Instead, it increased friction and placed additional political obstacles in the way of compromise. The paper also examines the potency of peacekeeping as a vehicle for conflict resolution. It argues that the design and conceptualization of peacekeeping albeit structural challenges like inadequate resources, ill-equipped personnel and lack of a clearly defined and sustainable vision are at the bedrock of cyclical conflicts. In examining the role of MONUC and other interveners in the Congolese peace process, the paper engages a conceptual thesis which
PhD Candidate of International Relations,
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg—South Africa
ABSTRACT
Beyond the rhetoric of traditional causes of conflicts which intermittently are also at the root cause of African territorial civil conflicts, this paper examines the question as to why conflict resurges in states where conflict has previously been resolved. From the perspective of two major theoretical frameworks in International Relations: Liberalism and Realism, this paper argues that mechanisms for conflict resolution are often short-termed and often not home-groomed to accommodate the needs of citizens emanating from a civil war. Liberals argue that this is primarily a failure of cooperation between external and internal actors or stakeholders in the peace process. To them, this lack of cooperation generates economic problems and inhibits mistrust which is the embryo for conflict resurgence. In contrast conflict resolution fails primarily as a result of factors emphasized by Realism. The conflict may not have been ripe for resolution because the practical meaning of recognition revealed large gaps between the ways that the parties defined their core interests. Against this background and given the depth of antagonism between the DRC government and MONUC on the one hand and rebel movements on the other, economic wealth of the Congo has failed to generate support for the peace process. Instead, it increased friction and placed additional political obstacles in the way of compromise. The paper also examines the potency of peacekeeping as a vehicle for conflict resolution. It argues that the design and conceptualization of peacekeeping albeit structural challenges like inadequate resources, ill-equipped personnel and lack of a clearly defined and sustainable vision are at the bedrock of cyclical conflicts. In examining the role of MONUC and other interveners in the Congolese peace process, the paper engages a conceptual thesis which
Cited: from Francis Nguendi Ikome, The Inviolability of Africa’s Colonial Boundaries: Lessons from the Cameroon-Nigeria border conflict. Institute for Global Dialogue Occasional Paper No. 47, Johannesburg, Nov. 2004 [12] (Morgenthau, 1948; Waltz, 1979). [13] (Paris, 2002). [14] Jeong, H.W [15] Dean G Pruitt, 2000 Tactics of Third-Party Intervention, Orbis, Vol. 44, No. 2 [16] Liddell Hart [17] ibid [18] William Zartman, 1995 “Dynamics and Constraints in Negotiations in Internal Conflicts,” in Zartman ed [19] Anstey, M. 2006. Managing Change Negotiating Conflict. 3rd Edition, Cape Town: Juta and Co. [20] Ibid [21] Sudan Tribune, 2007 [22] Godfrey M Musila, 2007 The DRC situation: Cases before the ICC, ISS Monograph , No. 164 -----------------------