1. GLOBAL SOUTH Development Magazine
#9, April 201 2, A development quarterly,ISSN: 1 799-0769, www.silcreation.org
WAR & PEACE IN
CONGO

2. Global South Development Magazine is a quarterly magazine
published by Silver Lining Creation, Finland. The magazine covers
a wide range of developmental issues primarily of the developing
world and is an initiative of freelance writers and development
activists from different parts of the world.
Editor-in-Chief
Manoj Kr Bhusal
manoj.bhusal@silcreation.org
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Ioulia Fenton
Lawin Khalil Mustafa Marketing Manager
Dinesh Poudel (dinesh.poudel@silcreation.org)
Regional Editors
Lingson Adam (East Africa) Promoters
Khalid Hussain (South Asia) Saila Ohranen (saila.ohranen@silcreation.org)
Noah Marwil (Latin America) Sudip Joshi (sudip.joshi@silcreation.org)
Catriona Knapman (The Middle East) Suraj Chand (suraj.chand@silcreation.org)
Special Correspondents Published By
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Tithe Farhana (Bangladesh)
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James Belgrave (Burundi)
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Meerim Shakirova (Central Asia)
Fady Salah (Egypt)
Emily Cavan Lynch (DR Congo)
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Narayan Bhatta
Innocent Kazembe
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3. Technology will fix
corruption! Contents
Global South Development Magazine, Founded in 2010
Dear Editor, April 201 2 ISSUE 9 WWW.SILCREATION.ORG
In the January issue of your magazine, I had
the chance to read an article about anti-
corruption campaigns in India. I think a lot
needs to be done in order to stamp out
corruption from the country, but we should not
forget that the so called anti-corruption
campaigns have thier own agendas too. They
seem to be hungry of media limelight and
attention, and do not digest criticisms easily.
Corruption needs something more than mass
protests and rallies. Without restructuring state
mechanisms, the dream of eliminating
corruption won't come true. Laws and moral
education might be useful, but technology that
ensures transparency is a must!
Madhavi, Pune-India
Having passed through decades of conflict, instability and
political turmoil, has peace prevailed in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo? A special report on the DRC.
4 South in the Frame 25 US Peace Corps
A photo presentation of In The Northern Triangle –
Pencils of Promise A shift from development
5 News Analysis to militarisation?
Global South 27 Public Health:
7 Argentina Bangladesh's fight to
the Latin American pioneer restore childhood sight
in gender and sexual 29 Gender &
equality
21 Health Development
Doctor in your pocket – the Improving women's
new era of mobile health! participation: A challenge
for Nepal
23 Voluntarism 31 Global South in the
Mutually Beneficial news: global south in
Impacts of International global media
Volunteers in Latin 32 Final remarks from
America the editor: When things
fall apart
Failed states? By Which functioning states are labelled as that might be successful within their
Measures? failed states, but what about the territories, but are largely reponsible
states that export weapons and for making people's life measurable
Dear Editor, orchestrate vicious wars overseas? abroad. This would make them a
I read the January issue of Global What about the states that are crazy little more responsible, if at all.
South Development Magazine with in their consumer habits and
responsible for permanently
Suvi, Helsinki- Finland
great interest. The cover story damaging the environment?
apprently was very interesting.
However, there could have been a twoI categoriesworld should have
think the (Dear readers, please send your
of failed states. The comments, suggestions and quiries by
critical remark on the idea of failed first catagory is alaredy available, email at globalsouth@silcreation. org
states categorization. I am aware the second one should include states - Editor)
that war trodden, poor, non-

4. South in the Frame Pencils of Promise
In Laos, an entire school’s student
population rushes outside at the
news and reception of new school
supplies and personal hygeine
accessories.
From left to right: Little girl in Non
Kihow, Laos, plants herself on the
classroom floor with her new notepad;
cheeky primary school student in
Phayong, Laos, during a nutrition lesson
on making healthy food snacks; girl at a
construction planning meeting in
Lizarco, outside of Matagalpa,
Pencils of Promise is a New York-based NGO that aims to Nicaragua; bread feast after a
empower youth by building classrooms, schools, and sustainable Community Engagement Workshop in
education resources for communities without proper access to these Santa Catarina, Guatemala. Photo
basic elements. www.pencilsofpromise.org courtesy: Pencils of Promise

5. News Analysis Global South
PHILIPPINES: OMG! Eat-
your-vegetables campaign
BANGKOK, March 2012 measurement of chronic
Celebrities are working with the malnutrition.
Philippines government in a The Philippines’ produce
recently launched nationwide consumption of 60kg per person
media campaign to lift the per year in 2007 was one of the
consumption of fresh produce lowest in Asia, according to the
and fight malnutrition among World Health Organization
young people. (WHO).
The name of the project, ‘Oh WHO recommends a daily
My Gulay!’ (OMG!) (‘oh my intake of 400g of vegetables and
vegetables’ in the local Tagalog fruits per person (150kg per
language) plays off the year) to help prevent vitamin and
shorthand exclamation mineral deficiencies as well as
commonly interspersed in text heart disease, some cancers,
messages sent via mobile phones diabetes and obesity. An
- ‘OMG’ for ‘oh my god’ - and estimated 1.7 million (2.8
resonates widely in a country percent) of deaths every year
where more than one billion text worldwide are linked to
messages are sent daily. insufficient vegetable and fruit
Local celebrities in dance, consumption, according to the
music and television are featured health agency.
in print and on television, posing The celebrity advocacy of
with their favourite vegetables. OMG! follows a 2011
“Role models are efficient for government programme to set up
children, and targeting children produce gardens in all 42,000
is both boosting immediate schools by providing tools, seeds
consumption and initiating a and training.
mindset change about vegetables “There is no space too little to
and fruits,” explained the farm. Space-friendly techniques
founder of the campaign, Ed allow communities and families YANGON, Myanmar- Aung San Suu Kyi, the
Angara, a parliamentarian from to produce a lot, even on a tiny democracy advocate silenced for two decades by
the capital region of Metro piece of concrete,” said Holmer. Myanmar’s generals with house arrests and overturned
Manila. Container vegetable and fruit elections, assumed a new role in her country’s political
“We want to make vegetables production - for example, transition on 2 April 2012, winning a seat in Parliament
and fruits sexy - too many growing a plant in a plastic water to make the remarkable shift from dissident to
Filipinos prefer to buy meat bottle - is widely used in cities lawmaker.
rather than vegetables and fruits throughout the Philippines and
to complement their rice-based other countries.
diet,” said Robert Holmer, “Vegetables and fruits can be
regional director for East and more expensive than fish in the
Southeast Asia of the World Philippines, and their prices
Vegetable Centre (AVRDC), a fluctuate a lot,” said Sheila Aclo
Taiwan-headquartered NGO de Lima, a training officer with
previously known as the Asian AVRDC. “Thanks to these
Vegetable Research [space-friendly] methods,
Development Centre, which is underprivileged families can
supporting the campaign. produce for themselves, and
According to the most recent their vegetable and fruit
government national nutrition consumption is resilient to
survey in 2008, chronic weather and food crises.” Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, a 1991 Nobel Peace laureate
malnutrition (a shortage of Increasing produce consumption and the face of Myanmar’s democracy movement, will
intake of vitamins and nutrients) is key to reducing the hold a public office for the first time. But despite her
among children is directly malnutrition-related illnesses global prominence, she will be joining a Parliament that
related to the country’s low that affect some 200 million is still overwhelmingly controlled by the military-
vegetable and fruit consumption. children worldwide according to backed ruling party.
An estimated 29 percent of the Paris-based French A nominally civilian government took power one
children under five years old and Agricultural Research for year ago after years of oppressive military rule and
33 percent of children younger Development Centre (CIRAD). introduced political changes it hoped would persuade
than 10 years were too short for (News coutesy IRIN) Western nations to end economic sanctions. (with
their age groups, which is one agencies)

6. News Analysis Global South
Number of executions around
ISRAEL:
the world soared last year, with Deportation
countries such as Iran, Iraq
and Saudi Arabia resorting to looms for South
the death penalty more often
than in the past Sudan migrants
TEL AVIV, March 2012 - Asylum-
China executed more people seekers from South Sudan living in
than the rest of the world put Israel have until 31 March to return
together “home” or face deportation, but some
have asked to stay, saying conditions are
The United States was the only not yet conducive for their safe return.
According to Israeli Interior Minister
country in the Americas and Sabine Haddad, South Sudan nationals
the only member of the Group living in Israel will no longer be given
of Eight leading economies to protected status after the deadline. Until
execute prisoners in 2011, then, he added, they will be offered
Death penalty something Shetty described as
"very shameful."
voluntary deportation and around
US$1,300.
2011: Alarming But Natalina, a 46-year-old single
mother of three who arrived in Israel six
levels of Belarus was the only country
in Europe to carry out
years ago after spending 12 years is
Cairo, said she would find it difficult to
leave. "I don't want to take [the children]
executions executions in 2011
told the Reuters news agency, adding
back because I know their lives will
change dramatically," she told IRIN. "I
have no one in Sudan, I know no one
Amnesty International says executions that the downside was that "a few there - no family, nothing. I haven't been
rose by 78 per cent worldwide and by countries continue to practice it in large there in 18 years, I am a single Mum and
50 per cent in the Middle East last year. numbers." I cannot afford to pay for medical
The number of executions around the At least 1,923 people are known to treatment and education in South
world soared last year, with countries have been sentenced to death in 63 Sudan."
such as Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia countries in 2011, down from 2,024 in Natalina, whose three children aged
resorting to the death penalty more 2010, Amnesty's report said. At least 7, 9 and 15 are enrolled in Israeli
often than in the past, rights group 18,750 people were under sentence of schools, said she and some 700 other
Amnesty International has said in a new death worldwide at the end of 2011, South Sudanese asylum-seekers received
report. including 8,300 in Pakistan, it said. notice from the Ministry of Interior three
The group said on Tuesday that at After China, most executions last year months ago, asking them to report for
least 676 people were executed in 20 were carried out in Iran, where at least repatriation by 31 March 2012 or be
countries in 2011 compared with 527 360 people were put to death compared declared illegal aliens in Israel.
executions in 23 countries in 2010, a 78 with at least 252 in 2010, Saudi Arabia "I do not wish to see my children
per cent increase. (at least 82 executions in 2011 suffer. We've had meetings with the
Executions in the Middle East rose compared with at least 27 in 2010), and Israeli government but they will not give
by almost 50 per cent last year to 558, Iraq (at least 68 executions compared us answers. If they decide to do this
the group said. with at least one), Amnesty said. (send asylum-seekers back) by 31
Methods of execution used around They were followed by the United March, I will disappear, I cannot go
the world included beheading, hanging, States, with 43 executions in 2011 down back," said Natalina, a prominent leader
lethal injection and shooting. from 46 a year earlier, and Yemen, at of the small community of South
However, Amnesty said China executed least 41 executions in 2011 down from Sudanese in Israel.
more people than the rest of the world 62 officially reported in 2010. The Israeli authorities, in a January
put together. Data on the death penalty The United States was the only letter circulated among the South
in China is a state secret, and Amnesty country in the Americas and the only Sudanese community, said the new state
International no longer publishes a member of the Group of Eight leading was safe.
figure for Chinese executions, but it economies to execute prisoners in 2011, "We are not asking to stay forever, but to
said they were in the thousands. something Shetty described as "very be given enough time until the new state
Salil Shetty, Amnesty's secretary- shameful." recovers somewhat," Simon,a South
general, said that when Amnesty was Belarus was the only country in Sudanese community leader who left his
launched in 1961 only nine countries Europe to carry out executions in 2011 country 17 years ago, explained. "I know
had abolished the death penalty for all when it put two people to death. No of many repatriated community
crimes, whereas last year only 20 executions were recorded in Japan last members who were forced to flee again
countries carried out executions. year, for the first time in 19 years. to the north, to Kenya or Uganda. South
"It's a very important success story," he (Source Amnesty International and Sudan is only seven months old and still
Agencies) a failed state." (Source IRIN)

7. LGBT Latin America
Argentina: the Latin
American pioneer in gender
and sexual equality
B Y VICTORIA PEEL YATES
In Argentina
For a country synonymous with a equality.
culture of machismo, gauchos Argentina was the first (and to date reported in Chile and Brazil. Despite
(cowboys) and a dance deeply rooted in the only) Latin American country to the growing acceptance for LGBT
traditional male-female dominant- legalise gay marriage and adoptions, public officials in countries such as
submissive roles, the tango, Argentina with a law that was passed in 2010, Colombia (where the appointment of
is surprisingly leading the way for joining just a handful of countries that Tatiana Pineros, a transgender woman,
gender and sexual equality in Latin recognise gay marriage. It has some of to head of Bogota’s social welfare
America. the most progressive laws promoting agency was received with little
Amid the recent drama unfolding in gender and sexual rights in the entire opposition from the public), others,
the Argentinean political arena, namely region. In Chile, Bolivia, Peru, such as Bolivia, do not even have laws
the dispute with Britain over the Paraguay and Venezuela there are no in place to prevent discrimination based
Falklands/Malvinas (among other laws that recognise or grant rights to on sexuality. The continent seems to be
things), two bills have been quietly same sex couples. Brazil, Uruguay, divided, with conservative religious and
making their way through Congress, Ecuador and Colombia have followed political views clashing with supporters
almost unnoticed. The first was passed in Argentina’s footsteps by passing laws of LGBT civil rights.
on 14th March 2012, and marked a that recognise and grant rights to same
huge breakthrough for women’s rights sex couples. However, despite strong
in Latin America. The bill legalised lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
abortions for all victims of rape, a (LGBT) civil rights movements, "Argentina was the first (and to
modification to an existing law that homophobia is rife across the continent, date the only) Latin American
allowed abortion only if the rape victim even in those countries where same sex country to legalise gay marriage
was mentally disabled. The second bill couples are recognised. and adoptions, with a law that
is the ‘Ley de Identidad de Géneros’ This is manifested in violent attacks was passed in 2010, joining just a
(Gender Identity Law), which if passed and murders of LGBT people; the most handful of countries that
will allow Argentinean citizens to extreme example is in Ecuador, where recognise gay marriage. It has
change their name and gender on their young women are sent to horrific some of the most progressive laws
national identity cards. If passed, it will “clinics” to be “cured” of being promoting gender and sexual
reaffirm Argentina’s status as the Latin lesbians. High numbers of homophobic rights in the entire region."
American leader in gender and sexual attacks and homicides have also been

8. LGBT Latin America
parties has had a profound impact on
preventing the passing of laws that
would recognise gay marriage. This has Global hunger
most notably taken place in Chile,
where the Christian Democrat party has fight depends on
blocked several bills to recognise same
sex couples. In Argentina, such parties better water use-
do not exist, limiting the power of the
Church within Congress. says U.N. chief
Another reason may be Argentina’s
high level of transnational legalism,
referring to the ease with which
Argentina imports international norms
and adopts them domestically. While
this is high throughout Latin America,
Argentina is undoubtedly the regional
leader (incidentally, the US has a very
low level of transnational legalism).
This means that proponents of LGBT
Two transgender partygoers pose for photos at the civil rights have borrowed heavily from The world will only be able to feed a
Gay Pride March in Buenos Aires. On the LGBT rights activists around the world, rapidly growing population if it
previous page the author's friends posing with a often replicating their arguments improves the use of water, the "most
reveler at the Gay Pride March in Buenos Aires verbatim. This is not to say that the critical finite resource", the head of
LGBT rights movement in Argentina the United Nations said on the World
This is no less true in Argentina. lacks domestic resources. The agenda Water Day.
However, the difference in Argentina is of the LGBT movement was cast as part "Unless we increase our capacity
that, despite the obstacles faced, LGBT of the country’s broader agenda on to use water wisely in agriculture, we
civil rights are advancing, seemingly behalf of feminism, gender, will fail to end hunger and we will
with support from the wider public. So reproduction, health, and sexuality, open the door to a range of other ills,
why, despite the dominance of which have been part ofArgentina’s including drought, famine and
relatively progressive leftist legislative agenda for decades. They political instability," U.N. Secretary
governments dominating the Latin used innovative strategies, such as General Ban Ki-moon said in a
American political arena, is Argentina encouraging gay couples to request statement.
unique in its efforts to improve gender marriage licences, and when these Global food output must double
and sexual equality? The strong LGBT requests are refused, to challenge the from 2005-2007 levels in developing
civil rights movement and high levels refusal on constitutional grounds. countries and rise 70 percent in
of urbanisation and education only go Popular support for the cause was developed nations to feed a world
so far in explaining the phenomenon, probably also won due to the actions of population expected to rise to 9
since these are also found in other Latin the Church, whose polarizing rhetoric billion in 2050 from about 7 billion
American countries. became increasingly and openly now, according to U.N. estimates.
There are several possible factors discriminatory towards the LGBT While an average human drinks 2
that may contribute to Argentina’s avant population. to 4 litres of water every day, it takes
garde approach to gender and sexual Ultimately, the final say lies with 2,000 to 5,000 litres of water to
equality. The first is that, despite being President Fernandez, who took the risk produce one person's daily food, the
a predominantly Catholic country, of confronting the Church and passing U.N. Food and Agriculture
attendance within the Catholic Church, the controversial law. There are a Organization (FAO) reports.In many
at roughly 22%, is relatively low myriad of reasons that she may have parts of the world, the pace of
compared with its Latin American chosen to do so, both domestic and agricultural production growth has
counterparts, as well as with the US. foreign, ranging from further splitting been slowing while water scarcity is
This is significant because the Catholic an already fragmented opposition to increasing and climate change is
Church, in Argentina as elsewhere in advancing Argentina’s position as the exacerbating risk and unpredictability
Latin America, has been strongly Latin American vanguard of gender and for farmers, especially poor ones, Ban
opposed to the legalisation of gay sexual rights. said.
marriage. Moreover, the Evangelical It is impossible to pinpoint one Two-thirds of the world's
population, at just 2%, is tiny, reason that distinguishes Argentina population could be living under
compared to a growing number of from other countries in the region; water stressed conditions by 2025, the
followers in Mexico and Brazil and a many have similar histories of military FAO said.
huge following in the US. This means dictatorships, and financial and political To ensure sustainable food and
that despite fierce opposition to gay crises. But in Argentina, a particular set water security for everyone, the world
marriage, the Evangelical Church has of socio-political factors seems to have must boost investments in people,
very little influence. combined to make it the regional leader infrastructure, production and
A second key factor may be the in progressive social policies. The rest education as well as improve water
separation of church and party; most of the region may have some way to go, management, FAO's Director General
countries in the region separate church but it is likely that sooner or later they Jose Graziano da Silva said. (By
and state, but this may not be enough. will follow suit. Svetlana Kovalyova for Alertnet)
Strong opposition from Christian

9. Cover Story GSDM April 201 2
WAR
& PEACE
IN The
Democratic Republic
of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is rebel movements threatened to overtake parts genocide of the civilian Tutsi minority in
not officially at war, but for decades the of the country in 1964 and in 1977–78, Rwanda. According to some estimates,
ordinary Congolese haven't experienced Western powers intervened with military around 800,000 people were killed in a few
an essence of peace either. After years of support. Even during the last months of months .
bloodshed and devastation, the DRC is Mobutu’s reign in 1997, France allegedly The RPA and its leader Major Colonel
staggering towards normalcy, but after organized the hiring of foreign mercenaries in Paul Kagame managed to conquer Kigali and
order to avoid the dictator’s fall from power. oust the Hutu government. Fearing Tutsi
brief intervals the country finds itself In the 1970s, Mobutu and his cronies revenge, around 1.2 million Hutu, including
rebound into violent conflicts again and seriously started to lay their hands on the some 40,000 of the militia responsible for
again. This edition of Global South country’s wealth. In a process called the genocide, fled to the North and South
Development Magazine tries to analyse ‘Zairianization’, key economic sectors were Kivu provinces in neighboring Zaire. At this
some of the issues that have been put under direct state control Mobutu’s point, Mobutu saw an opportunity to regain
responsible for prolonging conflict and kleptocratic regime was coupled with poor the initiative. He agreed to host the refugees
unrest in the DRC. The first section will growth rates and a mounting public external on Congolese soil and thereby became a
give a historical timeline of the DRC debt. International donor pressure and the end partner to international aid organizations. The
followed by an account of our DRC of the Cold War finally forced Mobutu to move also allowed him to regain some
correspondent from the field. This abandon one-party rule in 1990. He also respectability, at least in the eyes of the
became more marginalized as the government French, who once again embraced him.
edition's interview section and the in Kinshasa assumed some of his former At the same time, Mobutu used the inflow
editor's column have been dedicated to powers. But Mobutu would make an of Hutu to instigate hostilities towards the
the DRC issue as well. unexpected comeback on the world scene. Banyamulenge, a people ofTutsi origin who
had lived in eastern Congo for generations.
The DRC: A The Rwanda Genocide and the War
Against Mobutu: 1994–97
To understand the insurgency against
The parliament even decided that the
Banyamulenge should lose their citizenship.
In October 1996, the governor of South Kivu
historical Timeline earlier developmentstwo neighboring groups,
Mobutu in 1996, it is necessary to recount
in
Rwanda. Rwanda’s major ethnic
ordered the Banyamulenge to leave their
homes within a few days. In desperation, they
turned to their Tutsi cousins in Rwanda for
Congo gained independence from Belgium the Hutu and the Tutsi, had fought a help.
in 1960 but immediately fell into a state of smallscale civil war since 1990 when an army The new rulers in Rwanda had an even
chaos and disintegration. In 1965, Colonel ofTutsi rebels (RPA), hosted and supported greater grievance on their hands. The Hutu
Joseph Mobutu seized power through a coup by Uganda, invaded the country. The militia used the refugee camps in Kivu as a
quietly approved by the Western powers, and dramatic turning point happened in 1994 base for attacks against the Tutsi-dominated
changed the country’s name to Zaire and his when Rwanda’s Hutu president Habyarimana regime in Rwanda. Helped by Mobutu, they
own to Mobutu Sese Seko. Zaire became an was killed along with Burundi’s president became a serious threat to the new
important pawn in the Cold War as an after their plane was shot down. Although it government’s security. In September 1996,
African bastion of anti-communism. This is still not clear who was responsible for this the RPA joined the Banyamulenge and
helped Mobutu to hold his gigantic and attack, extremist Hutu groups drew their own attacked the Hutu refugee camps on
ethnically divided country together. When conclusions and soon started a systematic Congolese soil.

10. Cover Story War & Peace in DR Congo
They were soon joined by several anti- which in turn led Kabila to marginalize export of natural resources. This phase
Mobutu rebel groups and engaged in the Tutsi and Banyamulenge members of involved both foreign and Congolese
battles against government forces. his administration. A more plausible actors. Both phases were greatly
Among the groups that joined the explanation for this action could be that facilitated by the strong transportation
rebellion was a small one called PRP led that Kabila, perhaps inspired by the networks put in place during the first
by Laurent Kabila. Kabila belonged to actions of Mobutu before him, was war.
Lumumba’s socialist faction in the desirous of keeping the financial gain Economic data collected by the UN
1960s, but after Mobutu’s consolidation from Congo’s resources for himself. illustrate the trends in mineral exports in
of power, Kabila and his men withdrew Whatever the explanation, Kabila Uganda and Rwanda for the years 1994
to the South Kivu mountains where they dismissed a Rwandan military officer of to 2000 and the trends in mineral
formed something of a mini-state. Not Tutsi ethnicity as chief of staff for the production in Rwanda for the years 1995
much is known of his activities from Congolese armed forces in July 1998. He to 2000. Uganda had no reported coltan
then on, except that during long periods then went one step further, sending the or niobium production after 1995, while
he made a living as a gold smuggler. commander and his Tutsi Rwandan exports increased steadily between 1997
From late 1996 he suddenly appeared comrades-in arms back to Rwanda on 27 and 1999. Finally, neither Uganda nor
as the leader of the newly formed July 1998. This move was an apparent Rwanda has any known diamond
Alliance of the Democratic Forces for attempt to pre-empt a coup, and was a production.
the Liberation of Congo (ADFL). It was direct cause of the rebellions that took In the case of Zimbabwe, however,
therefore suspected that Kabila was place in both Goma and Kinshasa six there is evidence of extensive
something of a puppet, at least initially – days later. commercial activity in the form of joint
suspicions that were later confirmed in After the failure of these rebellions, ventures and mining concessions.
interviews with Rwanda’s strongman troops from Rwanda and Uganda entered Natural resource extraction, particularly
Paul Kagame. The ADFL and their Tutsi Congo in August 1998. Both countries mineral extraction, fuelled the
comrades immediately remarkably stated security reasons for the continuation of the conflict in Congo.
successful. Mobutu’s unpaid army, which deployment. The crisis escalated when Rwanda’s military benefited directly
he had kept weak and divided so that it Rwandan troops, with some support from the war in various ways. The most
would not pose a threat to himself, from Uganda, attempted to seize significant of these has been the
melted away as the Tutsi veterans Kinshasa. At this point, Zimbabwe and extraction of coltan, the price of which
approached. During their march Angola intervened on behalf of the rose phenomenally between late 1999
westwards, some 200,000 Hutu refugees Kabila government, saving it from and late 2000. The UN estimates that the
were allegedly killed, and conquered collapse. Namibia, Chad, and Sudan Rwandan military could have been
mines were looted. would later join Kabila’s allies, although selling coltan for as much as $20 million
The old Cold War allies Belgium and Chad and Sudan withdrew relatively per month.This allowed Rwanda to
the United States declared that they early. continue its presence in Congo,
would no longer come to Mobutu’s Angola entered the war in Congo protecting individuals and companies
rescue. Only France, frightened by the primarily for security reasons; UNITA who provided minerals. In some cases,
prospect of an English-speaking new rebels had been using Congo to launch the Rwandan army went so far as to
regime, remained Mobutu’s friend to the attacks on Angola. Namibia had no attack rebel groups in order to
bitter end. On 17 May 1997, Kinshasa immediate security concerns, but rather appropriate their coltan supplies. While
surrendered to Kabila’s troops and the supported Kabila based on a decision by the Ugandan government was not
old dictator fled the country. President Nujoma, which was mostly directly involved in the extraction of
symbolic in nature. Zimbabwe does not natural resources, it did not take action
The Great African War: 1998– share a border with Congo, and did not against military and businessmen who
Early in his presidency, Kabila showed face any security threats. The reasons for participated in this activity.
signs of moving towards one-man rule. its involvement seem to be related to However, several events have improved
His control over state resources was investments made in Congo by the the chances of ending the conflict in
highly personalized, and public government and Zimbabwean Congo. The first is Joseph Kabila’s rise
enterprises were not managed in any businesses. to power after the assassination of his
long-term sense of the word but rather Economic gain appears to have been a father in early 2001. The younger Kabila
used to rapidly generate finances through powerful motivator in this war, and there seems to have shown interest in finding a
indiscriminate concession granting is a general consensus that Rwanda’s and solution to the conflict and reinstating
Corruption, patronage, and lack of Uganda’s armies quickly began to shift democracy in Congo. Agreements
accountability came to characterize their attention to commercial enterprise focusing on the transition of the
Kabila’s presidency, rather than the and exploitation. The gains from these Congolese government towards
hoped for democracy and national activities were used to enrich the democracy have been signed, and foreign
development. governments involved, finance the troops have withdrawn from Congolese
Kabila’s alliance with Rwanda and continuation of the war, and pay soil. However, optimism must be
Uganda was strong immediately individual soldiers. tempered given the persistent fighting
following his rise to power. His The plunder of Congo’s natural between rebel groups in the northeastern
government contained many Tutsi (both resources took place in two phases. The part of Congo. This has led the UN to
Rwandan and Congolese) and first involved the wholesale looting of adopt Resolution 1493, which authorizes
Banyamulenge in top political and existing stockpiles and took place in the the deployment of UN peacekeepers.
military positions. This placed a strain on occupied regions of Congo during the (Timeline text source: Congo: The Prize
Kabila’s legitimacy, as most Congolese first year of the second war. The second of Predation by Ola Olsson & Heather
regarded them as foreign occupiers, phase involved systematic extraction and Congdon Forse )

11. Country profile The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Official language: French(official),
Lingala,Kingwana,Kikongo, Tshiluba
Ethnic groups: Over 200 ethnic
groups,the majority are Bantu; the four
largest tribes – Mongo, Luba, Kongo
(all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande
(Hamitic) make up about 45 % of the
population.
By CAROLYNN LOOK Religion: Roman Catholic 50%,
Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%,
Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic
Untamed jungles, breathtaking nature, and the Congolese to fill with their own people. sects and indigenous beliefs) 10%
abundant mineral resources aren’t all that However, a crisis developed that same Human Development Index: 0.286;
make up this fierce ‘heart of darkness’. year between the two leaders, when rank 187 out of 187 (last)
Whether for its six name changes in the Kasavubu kicked Lumumba out of office. EDUCATION
course of a little more than a century, its The appointed chief of staff of the new -Literacy 67.2% (male 80%, female
important role in African relations, or its army, Joseph Mobuto, used the moment of 54.1%)
“God-forsaken wilderness” described by tension and the financial support from the ROLE OF WOMEN
Joseph Conrad, we have all heard of this U.S. and Belgium to stage a coup in 1965, -Widespread rape and other forms of
African giant in one way or another. under the pretext of wanting to maintain sexual violence, often by government
Pre-colonial Congo was well known for order. He renamed the nation ‘Democratic security officials
its iron and copper technology, but was Republic of the Congo’, and later, in 1971, -Almost no representation in
heavily disrupted by slave trading in its to ‘Republic of Zaire’, where he became government
Eastern regions around the 16th century. By famous for the relative stability he created CHILDREN
the time King Leopold II of Belgium and his promotion ofAfrican nationalism in -Child soldiers recruited by LRA
officially claimed ‘Congo Free State’ at the renaming the cities and rivers. However, he (Ugandan), FDLR (Rwandan), and
1885 Conference of Berlin, he had a clear was also known for his extensive violation
idea about how much he would gain due to of human rights and corruption, which was FARDC (Congolese)
the region’s mineral wealth, and was ready aided by receivingfinancial support from -28.2% under age of 5 are underweight
to exploit the local people at all costs. He the U.S. government for his opposition to -Low quality education limits future
established intricate infrastructure projects communism in the heat of the Cold War. FREEDOM
and a high-yielding rubber industry, whose Inner tensions bubbled up and ended up -Abuses by armed groups
high output quotas he managed to maintain forcing Mobuto out of the country in 1997, -Unlawful killings
by threatening the local population with after he failed to reform his corrupt -High number of internally displaced
brutal displays of limb chopping. Many policies, and the country took back its people and refugees
died due to extensive exploitation and name of ‘Democratic Republic of the -Torture and other ill-treatment
disease, but the King’s actions were soon Congo’. At the same time, the Rwandan -Prevalence of death penalty
met by international protests and led to the conflict spilled over to its big neighbour, -Poor administration of justice
handing over of power to the Belgian with Rwandan and Ugandan militia joining ECONOMY
government in 1908. The situation in the the unsuccessful local rebels in their -GDP per capita: $300 (2011 est.)
newly named ‘Belgian Congo’ improved overthrow of Mobuto. This strong coalition -Much economic activity still occurs in
greatly, but despite its social and economic of armies was led by Laurence-Désiré the informal sector, and is not reflected
advancements, the region’s people still Kabila, who, after their successful coup, in GDP data
suffered under the patronizing eye of the hoped the foreign armies would leave due -Mining is the source of most export
white man. to his suspicion of their true intentions. income
In 1960, the parliament implemented by They, however, began to fight their former -An uncertain legal framework,
the Belgian government was for the first ally. The conlfict transformed into a large-
time overtaken by the growing nationalist scale war involving nine African nations, corruption, and a lack of transparency
movement led by Patrice Lumumba, known 5.4 million deaths, and five years of in government policy are long-term
as the Mouvement National Congolais. He horrific scale violence dubbed as the problems for the mining sector and for
was appointed Prime Minister next to ‘African world war’. Due to efforts of the the economy as a whole
Joseph Kasavubu as the elected President. international community, the conflict ENVIRONMENT
The ‘République de Congo’ achieved its ‘officially’ ended in 2003, but government -Deforestation (overuse of wood for
independence soon thereafter, and it was instability, conflict, and human rights fuel)
then that most of the left over Europeans abuses continue to this day, resulting in -Increases in urban population
fled the country, leaving empty one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes -Issues in protection of wildlife
administrative and military positions for ever seen. -air pollution from vehicles and water
pollution from sewage

12. Cover Story War & Peace in DR Congo
DRC Diary: A reflection from
the field!
By EMILY LYNCH
Emily Cavan Lynch, Global
South Development Magazine's
country correspondent for the
Democratic Republic of the
Congo, also works for an
international relief organization
as a public health consultant. In
this article Emily shares her
everyday experience in the
DRCongo and presents a holistic
picture of a war troddon society
that is struggling to overcome
decades long trauma of bloodshed
and killings, yet finds it caught up
in new forms of unrest and
conflict everyday.
Since 2009 Eastern Congo has gained conversation from one that ought to be
a certain reputation. Through the well- focused on a much broader scope of
intentioned efforts of caring individuals, needs and causing, in some cases, far
the relief of organizations searching for more harm than good (offer a woman The donors of the current
a convenient way to define the muddle who lives on less than $1 a day $60, or a system of international aid are
of armed groups and ongoing conflict, $100 sewing machine, to testify that she not think-tanks, philosophers
and the perpetual funder's need to be was raped and see what you do for the
able to measure progress, Congo is these perceived credibility of anyone else who or academics. They are
days known to most in the developed has been raped). program managers, lobbyists,
world as the “rape capital of the world.”
Last spring the American Journal of
The history and instability of Eastern
Congo is generally framed as impossibly
bureaucrats and politicians
Public Health dropped the media bomb complicated; and in the need to address with constituencies. They
that the number of rapes per day in it, international actors are caught need a hat stand. They need a
Congo had been grossly underestimated
and was 26 times higher than a previous
unprepared. hook. They need it to be a
The donors of the current system of sound clip, for goodness sake!
UN report had estimated, with at least international aid are not think-tanks,
1,152 women raped every day (equal to philosophers or academics. They are
48 per hour). program managers, lobbyists,
This phrase and associated imagery bureaucrats and politicians with
has been the inspiration behind constituencies. They need a hat stand.
international advocacy and fund-raising They need a hook. They need it to be a
efforts, documentaries and news sound clip, for goodness sake. into an already devastated country after
features, the allocation of monies for bi- Stretched taught between the last a 50 year absence. Development
lateral donors, and the program civil war and something currently organizations, on the other hand, come
strategies thus dictated to any number of resembling stability, Eastern Congo is a in when people are no longer fleeing for
NGOs funded by them. funder's dilemma. their lives, when schools are again open
Yet it is an identity neither chosen In the system of international aid, and kids can be given uniforms and
(nor in most cases even known) by the implementers usually specialize in one books, when there is some sort of
majority of people implicated in its of two categories: humanitarian government or civil society framework
reach. It has also become something that organizations are called for when to enable foreign organizations to do
certain organizations have grown to tsunamis wipe out an entire coastline, their work, and when their teams are not
detest, watching it grow from one when 120,000 people flow into a being hijacked, their bases are not being
important voice in the dialogue to an refugee camp built for 40,000, when stormed by armed men, and there are no
overfed red herring of the system, hospitals overflow with people starving longer deadly skirmishes between armed
distracting, in their view, the or wounded, and when cholera floods groups.

13. Cover Story War & Peace in DR Congo
These two categories of organizations phrases, beginning with “general
have entirely different cultures, rules, population.” People said: beneficiary,
Unfortunately, political capacities, funding limitations and displaced, sick or ill, vulnerable, victim.
resolutions do not always paradigms. They may partner with each
other, and though they are often
Then I asked for their associations with
the word 'incivique,' which means
filter down to daily reality, indistinguishable by those not working something like “criminal” or “civil
and in this changeable in the sector, they are in no way disturber”. They responded quickly:
world a resolution today interchangeable, without inviting
disastrous implications (see: Haiti after
immoral, delinquent, rapist, assassin,
bandit. The first group of words are
does not dictate peace the earthquake or Indonesia after the those with which we associate sympathy
tomorrow. Eastern Congo is tsunami). and empathy; we usually want to help
no longer considered to be Following the political end to the the vulnerable. The second group of
in a state war. Rather, it has most recent large-scale conflict in DRC words are about actions and are framed
in 2009, the world of international aid in terms of blame and contradiction to a
been in a state of low-to- (e.g. the funders) decided that it was norm, encouraging the feeling that
moderate level conflict and time to transition from an emergency whereas the first group deserves our
instability , with a handful intervention to a framework of long-term
development, feeling that Congo was
sympathy and help, the second group
can be ostracized and blamed. After the
of villages pillaged every close enough to a kind of peace that the exercise I raised these points and asked
month, consistent waves of priority could change from flying in food the group, but does this mean that the
hundreds to thousands of rations and UN helicopters to supporting
school fees, funding economic
“inciviques” are not part of the
population? Because of the diversified
people fleeing into 'the development programs and sorting out nature of the conflict in this region they
bush' out of fear of attack, whatever residual trauma remained most definitely are, and everyone
regular targeted killings or through piece-meal psychosocial immediately pointed that out, laughing
skirmishes between armed programs. as they did so at the obvious
Unfortunately, political resolutions do contradiction.
groups, and one or two not always filter down to daily reality, However it was a good reminder (and
incidents of mass rapes and in this changeable world a resolution intended as such) that what we call
(and yes, ongoing and today does not dictate peace tomorrow.
Eastern Congo is no longer considered to
someone influences how we feel towards
them, and how we feel towards someone
pervasive sexual violence) be in a state of full-out war. Rather, it influences how we act, how far we go to
every half year or so. has been in a state of low-to-moderate help them and how much we do to hurt
level conflict and instability , with a them.
handful of villages pillaged every month, In the Kivu region of Congo – where
consistent waves of hundreds to the majority of the conflict and
thousands of people fleeing into 'the instability is concentrated – it is in these
bush' out of fear of attack, regular names and underlying associations that
targeted killings or skirmishes between we get lost. There are so many armed
armed groups, and one or two incidents groups and their alliances, histories and
of mass rapes (and yes, ongoing and loyalties so complicated that in general
pervasive sexual violence) every half conversation we just call them this,
year or so. “armed groups,” rather than trying to
With informed analysis and an ear to name them all. What we actually mean
the ground, there is a certain amount of can range from members of the official
predictability. Where there are schools, Congolese army to a successful
most are still open. Some branches of the shopkeeper in some village who gives
government function a bit. Most of the guns to a group of 19 year olds and tells
time you are not hijacked on the road. them to rob a truck on its way to market.
Outbreaks of preventable epidemics One of the hindrances of the
remain inexcusably frequent but people traditional vocabulary of war is that we
are used to their cyclical nature and take talk about civilians and soldiers or armed
them in some amount of stride, keening actors as if they are clearly separated
for and burying their dead out of sight of groups. The distinction is important (and
most who can help, and out of mind of considered a very useful thing) in terms
most who should be held accountable. of international humanitarian law; it
allows the international community to
who suffers the most? agree on (and, more importantly, have a
The other day I conducted a focus group basis for prosecution based on)
with representatives from various ethnic principles such as that of limiting
groups in North Kivu. We started off collateral damage, meaning that a
with an exercise about perceptions called military strategy should avoid
“quick thinking,” where I asked them to implicating civilians (e.g. if you must
tell me the first words that popped into attack a village as part of an offensive
their head when I mentioned several strategy, you should not rape, pillage and
murder civilians as well, but rather

14. Cover Story War & Peace in DR Congo
concentrate on the destruction of
military targets or armed actors). One of the hindrances of the
As a humanitarian it is hard for me to
accept that even this kind of dialogue is traditional vocabulary of
ultimately encouraging broad-scale war is that we talk about
respect of human rights but of course I civilians and soldiers or
can acknowledge that, within a limited
viewpoint, the intention is there. armed actors as if they are
And yet, even with this benefit of the clearly separated groups.
doubt, how do you apply such a precise
framework to the definition of conflict Much of Congo is covered
in much of the modern world? In Eastern
DRC, in addition to formal armies, you with lush, fertile, productive
have a grassroots patchwork of what land; there is no reason that
started as well-organized community anyone should go without
militias who are not separate from the
communities in which they live. They food in this country, no
are not just “integrated,” in the common reason that there should be
parlance; they are from the community. stunting and micronutrient
And perhaps they originally organized
themselves according to ethnicity or deficiencies and
place of origin or mother tongue, so now © Ian Steele/MONUC malnutrition common
all who share that definition (whether
bearing arms or not) are implicated by
enough that you can walk
things that benefit the population, like through a village and point
the consequences of their actions. infrastructure.
A community who “hosts” (whether The instability in Eastern Congo out all the children suffering
or not they have ever been asked for affects everyone. Access to crops from it.
their consent or opinion to do so) an ensures the link to a fundamental level
opposition group is thus often of caloric intake and nutrition that is
considered a collaborator and may be snapped like sugarcane the moment So who suffers the most? It
free game for an attack. So in this way people feel forced to flee their villages. is easy to say that it is
the armed groups ping-pong over the net
of the population, moving into and out of
Even for places stable enough to harvest, children, women and the
the presence and passage of armed elderly. Yet in a landscape
a community and then taking turns groups often means ongoing forced
attacking the community for hosting the labor, unjust detention or bribery, where fear is endemic,
opposition group. frequent violence, and pillaging of goods suffering is also endemic;
Of course it is true that in some and food. It may be that the armed trying to live with a
places in the region people are living in conflict involves the participation of
relative stability. I do not say comfort or much of the general population (when mentality where violence,
health, though this is of course also true there is no clear leader, how can there be hatred and domination are
in some areas, but stability. This means, confidence in the scattered leaders the only understood forms
first of all, that they can get to their around?), but it also demands the
fields when they need to in order to plant suffering of nearly the entire population. of survival is no way to live
and to cultivate crops, and that they are So who suffers the most? It is easy to at all.
able to stay in one place long enough to say that it is children, women and the
harvest them. elderly. Yet in a landscape where fear is
Much of Congo is covered with lush, endemic, suffering is also endemic;
fertile, productive land; there is no trying to live with a mentality where
reason that anyone should go without violence, hatred and domination are the
food in this country, no reason that there only understood forms of survival is no
should be stunting and micronutrient way to live at all.
deficiencies and malnutrition common
enough that you can walk through a Ongoing conflicts and future
village and point out all the children prospects
suffering from it. Around the time of the presidential
This is not a given condition of life; elections in November, rumors of
this is a direct result of the choices made crackling instability in DRC flew around
by those in power. Why should there be the world. The end of all hesitant peace
food insecurity in this region of Congo? was predicted; civil war said to be right
For the same reason that people are around the corner.
dying from diseases like measles, At that time I was part of a rural
malaria and upper respiratory infections. vaccination campaign in the southern
For the same reason that maternal and province of the country and during the
infant mortality in DRC is among the week leading up to the vote itself a small
highest in the world: lack of access, lack team of us were progressing slowly up
of basic healthcare, lack of investment in

15. Cover Story War & Peace in DR Congo
One surprising benefit to a
country with such high
levels of instability and
under-development is that
you do see, in precarious
measure, a slight protective
effect on the ecosystem.
Congo's burden is its
wealth; its wealth is its
burden.
In its purgatorial state – not
at war, yet hardly at peace -
the non-profit world still
leans towards a the lower Congo river in boats, hats, and step up to the plates of their
humanitarian inclination; vaccinating hundreds of children during promises.
But, in truth, none of these hopes have
few others are willing to, or the day in churches and shaded
courtyards and camping each night in the materialized.
have the capacity to deal mud yards of tiny health centers. Traveling throughout North and South
with the still frequent That week we also shared the river Kivu these days you get the most
profound sense - not that it is being used
reality of armed robberies with puttering boats transporting voting
boxes, election officials and the same as a proxy battlefield for competing
and violent attacks on their gentian violet dye that we used to mark interests (as might be presumed from the
houses, vehicles and the pinkie fingers of all of the children press) but rather that it has been largely
abandoned. Controlled, oppressed, stifled
projects. who had been vaccinated already. and forgotten. In the North, baboons play
Exhausted in my tent at night I had on the roofs of the abandoned buildings
multiple confused dreams about putting
This is not a poor country; used needles into the ballot boxes instead at what used to be the entrance and
it is a country where a very of election papers, and of accusations of stopover to Virunga National Park.
Guards still lift the gate for vehicles to
few people in power refuse fraud by election observers accusing us
of marking the fingers of babies who pass through but now, as you drive past
to direct the wealth of the were not even eligible for school, let them and wave, it is not with the
country to those who by alone for voting. expectation of seeing mountain gorillas;
it is instead with worry about seeing
their birthright own it. In the end, the elections passed by armed guerillas.
with a sort of peace truce, if not actually But these sentiments have all been
a set of comprehensive results. Since that negative. What else of Congo these days?
time the international community has One surprising benefit to a country with
mumbled and grumbled and even such high levels of instability and under-
published various official objections to development is that you do see, in
dissociate themselves from what precarious measure, a slight protective
everyone generally now agrees was, at effect on the ecosystem. Of course you
best, an inadequate electoral process. also see total destruction of ecosystems
But for a time afterwards it felt that if but at least where there no roads, the
Congo did not have the 100% democracy accompanying human chaos is also
that the Western observers were looking limited. Caught in mud up to our hubcaps
for, it might at least have avoided one day, I bent down to the shock of
disintegrating again into civil chaos. And grasses that our guide had just cut
for those who live here, that was not an through with his machete. In this random
inconsequential result. spot on a hillside in South Kivu, and
Unfortunately, in Eastern Congo at without even searching, I saw more than
least, that feeling has now been replaced ten insects crawling about and I heard a
with a sense of apprehension. The cacophony of others. Crunching,
elections provided a possibility that munching, crawling. It was an
things might change; the disputes of the astonishing experience.
results maintained that sense of hope,
leading some to think that perhaps, with
all the international criticism the old Role of international players
political status quo might change; Congo's burden is its wealth; its wealth is
perhaps the politicians would put on new its burden.I live on the Rwandan

16. Cover Story War & Peace in DR Congo
/Congolese border, on the shores of the “right-holders”) in the system of
limnic Lake Kivu, in Goma, a town that international aid? To whom is the aid
grew on the substrate of the Rwandan community accountable? If we have been
genocide as passageway for tens of acting in the place of the government
thousands of refugees. Settled at the base then why should the population not begin
of a still-active volcano, Goma is now a to ask us to be more accountable as a
dusty base for NGOs, UN deployments, government? If we did not want the role,
miners and business people profiting then why did we take it? And can we
from cross-border trade, as well as an reject it now, while still wanting to
ongoing mixture of floating expatriates maintain our invested presence?
who fit no clear category. What is primarily fascinating to me is
In its purgatorial state – not at war, yet that in this region of Congo the
hardly at peace - the non-profit world government has been for so long so
still leans towards a humanitarian ineffective and seemingly uninterested in Today, as I write this, we
inclination; few others are willing to, or providing its most basic match to the received news of a new
have the capacity to deal with the still
frequent reality of armed robberies and
social contract that the international
community has felt obligated to invest in
group of 20,000 people
violent attacks on their houses, vehicles the long-term. It has saved lives, displaced in the south
and projects. There is a sprinkling of certainly; for all extents and purposes the because of attacks on their
smaller development NGOs as well who
have tried to break into a range of longer-
people of Congo seem to be an
expendable resource for their
towns and villages, and
term goals. But donors are trigger shy. government. another 3-5,000 displaced
Who wants to invest in a place where any In fact, the longer you stay in the across the border in the
day the city might be threatened by rebel country the more unbelievable it north, as well as various
groups, the smoldering volcano might becomes that people here are living in villages pillaged and emptied
rumble over again as it did in 2002, or abject poverty.
the methane-floored lake might erupt, This is not a poor country; it is a in the center of the country.
with earthquakes and mythical tsunamis? country where a very few people in
Surrounding the aid community are
the various branches of the UN, with
power refuse to direct the wealth of the
country to those who by their birthright
We are often trained, in the
MONUSCO (the so-called peace-keeping own it. West, to view poverty and
mission in DRC) lumbering or hovering In Eastern DRC the aid community the suffering of people living
by at all times in Goma, and throughout has been present for decades, during in conditions of conflict as
the region. They have a staff which time the government has been very sad and inevitable
photographer who takes beautiful largely absent (in terms of providing
photographs, run a radio station known anything for the people) and international things.
for decent journalistic standards and actors have been invited in for their own
otherwise maintain a mission whose benefit. The aid community's investment
silence speaks loudly to those in search in this area of the world has begun to
of transparency. They are a “peace- strike those who live here as shallow.
keeping” mission but what peace, in fact, Those of us in the aid community like to
are they keeping? And whose peace? distinguish between ourselves and the
They are questions for which I do not, UN forces. But for the population I do
but I imagine that someone does, have not believe there is any such clear
the answer. distinction. In spite of whatever efforts,
What is interesting about being in most people are still living without
DRC at this time in history is that civil employment, without access to basic
groups (students, representative of healthcare, without access to education
grassroots NGOs, women's groups) have and with an unreasonably high level of
also begun to ask why, when the aid insecurity that often enough turns to
community has now been here for terror and fleeing.
decades, and the UN semi-occupies their Today, as I write this, we received
towns, the situation is still so bad for the news of a new group of 20,000 people
population. displaced in the south because of attacks
This questioning may take the form of on their towns and villages, and another
threats to NGOs for what are seen as 3-5,000 displaced across the border in
biased recruitment practices, or the north, as well as various villages
demonstrations against the aid pillaged and emptied in the center of the
community in general. I work for an country. These numbers are difficult to
NGO, so this kind of response is perhaps care about. Perhaps that sounds cold but
professionally concerning but I find it is it not true for most of us, much of the
personally fascinating, and cannot quite time? Life is complicated and busy; what
avoid a sense of pride when I see it. In does it mean that 20,000 people were
the last 25-30 years, where have been the displaced? They were not killed, or
voices of these “beneficiaries” (or, as a drowned, or burned, or dying from car
friend of a friend once called them, these crashes. They just had to move.

17. Cover Story War & Peace in DR Congo
In our garden on the edge of Lake works” to a new expat. He tossed his suffering does as well.
Kivu, the morning sun distributes itself hands around, trying to illustrate the We are often trained, in the West, to
as if committed to a black and white mess of armed groups and economic view poverty and the suffering of people
spectrum: the qualities of brightness and power players - mining and living in conditions of conflict as very
saturation (flower stalks between the technological and pharmaceutical sad and inevitable things. I certainly
lava rock walls, grass blades rolling into companies - the way they are all grew up thinking this: how sad that there
the ripples on the shimmering and subsidiaries of the other, who is loyalist are poor people who cannot eat and are
oceanic surface of the lake) somehow to, and who is enemy of whom, what caught in war; we must take them food,
carry more meaning than the color. The Rwanda wants, what the government we must bring them to a place of peace.
color is so saturated (fuscia, orange, wants, what China and Europe want, and
white-green new leaves) that it almost also how to recognize the heart of a
outdoes itself, and leaves room in the soldier by the shape of his nose. It is the
mind only for form. pride of the foreigner here to be able to
Congo is a riot of color, and the color recite these things; but their reports are
so cinematic, and so real, that there is given with such gusto that it makes me
rarely a struggle to define its quality, or wonder how genuinely we would want
to pin down a moment in its transience, to remove the cause of such excellent
and so somewhere in the experience of entertainment.
these extremes the mind becomes oddly What is it, this quality of stability,
free to see what is otherwise so often that allows us to live our lives? We
disguised by beauty. speak about instability as the root cause
Form. Depth. Movement. of so much suffering in eastern Congo,
Today we will leave the city of Goma assuming or stating, that what we would I did not grow up thinking, “it is my
to go 3-4 hours north to one of our wish for the country is for it to be stable responsibility to research the
projects, driving straight towards and the people to have this thing, pharmaceutical and technological
towering Nyirongongo. Yesterday I stability, otherwise defined as: countries that make the items I want to
watched the steam trail of this hulking constancy, steadiness, firmness, fixity, buy because it is the market demand for
volcano pouring to the west, only 10km permanence. their products that is continuing this
from the city and for once free from But stability is not a goal in and of conflict a million human-paradigm years
haze or clouds. As we drive north we itself; it is a consequence. away.”
will see other volcanoes – baby ones, Yesterday we drove through a town I did not grow up thinking, “nobody
grandfather ones – one long chain of that seemed like a town. It was not in Congo should actually be living in
seismic gasps in the earth’s surface. deserted or pillaged; it was full of poverty and the fact that they are is not a
We are like Pompeii; our human normal life. Market women called out fatalistic sad fact of life. No. The fact
history ripe for repetition. greetings to passer-bys, or sat with that they are is a direct result of our (and
The helicopters have begun again. It sleepy eyes next to piles of avocados. I speak of the world) choices.”
is a measure throughout the world, or at Men repaired motorcycles next to shops. It is not an oversight of Mother
least throughout the UN-occupied Children gossiped in school uniforms. Nature that people in Congo are living in
world, that the number of helicopters Life seemed calm and, yes, stable. poverty and dying of preventable
you hear corresponds directly to the Just north of this town in the past diseases and violence; it is our ongoing
state of security of the country. Here, the month several thousands of people have investment in political and economic
helicopters and the planes and the run from their homes across the border systems whose implementation, if not
armored vehicles and the egg-carton UN to Uganda, seeking refuge. Life in war is intent, is criminal: criminal because we
trucks with their legions of homesick like this; alternately calm and terrifying are making specific choices that allow
soldiers are omni-present and have and, often, simply surreal. these systems to continue, and we are
begun to multiply like bacteria in a petri Driving through North Kivu passing off the costs to those who cannot
dish: exponential, overnight. We wish yesterday it occurred to me to remind object.
they wouldn’t. We know that myself that I am living in a country at This is an abuse of power, and no
peacekeeping is only useful when there war. We prefer now – and it is probably matter how diffused we render the
is war-making. We know that carrying officially classified this way – to say that responsibility, no matter how well we
guns makes things worse, even when the Kivus are in a state of ongoing hide the links between death on the
you hope to make things better. instability and conflict. Ok, fine. ground and a product in the store, no
I spent more than two years living in Then what, I wonder, is war? matter how many millions of dollars we
Rwanda. And although Rwanda is a Something well-defined? One group spend on conciliatory peacekeeping and
world and culture of its own, returning versus another? The groups micro-economic development efforts,
to Congo last September still felt like internationally powerful and the cause we are still in the wrong. Quite simply.
coming home; the film-set quality of considered admirable? We are in the wrong.
central African light, the forehead knob Or is “war” simply a definition that is Human history is always ripe for
greetings, the petites aubergines: these useful for clarifying when and how and repetition, true, but we are the ones
were things I knew, and had already where another government is obligated choosing what it is that we will repeat.
grown to love. to break the autonomy of a nation state (Photos used in the article: source UN,
But Congo, or at least the region of and intervene, on an international level? under creative commons license. Emily
the Kivus, where I now live, is already But what autonomy, I ask? Our can be reached by email at
loved by too many. Last night I heard worlds and our economies are inter- emilycavan@gmail.com and follow her
someone try to explain the “way it all linked. Our minerals and our natural DRC experience on her blog
resources cross all borders. Our human www.emilycavan.blogspot.com)