Post-conflict reconstruction issues in the Eastern DRC: the prospects of sustainable peace

By Philippe Tunamsifu Shirambere

Generally speaking, conflicts are inevitable or an inescapable fact of human existence. However, warring parties may themselves avoid further conflict, stop fighting and negotiate a settlement, or a third party may enter the scene and enable parties to transform their relationship and reach an agreement. Thus, beyond stalemate and de-escalation, warring parties commit to not re-engage in armed conflicts, prevent future conflicts and involve in reconstruction efforts. Nevertheless, often one party may fail to fulfill the agreement or be without good faith and the conflict might escalate again. This is the situation to which the DRC is confronted since 1997 even before; various armed conflicts have taken place, peace agreements have been signed, but conflicts still escalate as the result of failure to restore the State’s authority. On the other hand, agreements with armed groups and neighboring countries are not respected because of selfish interests. Particularly, in the eastern part of the DRC conflicts occur in a vicious circle up to date. Areas rich in minerals are still under control of rebel groups. Consequently, this situation has delayed the country’s development, it blocks the reconstruction of the country, and unfortunately it has created hatred among Congolese.

Indeed, this paper tries to respond to the following question: how can reconstruction be possible in the eastern part of the DRC while the current regime has failed to restore the State’s authority and to resolve conflicts?

Different attempts of restoring sustainable peace in the eastern part of the DRC will be examined in detail. Sustainable peace should be seen as a holistic approach which takes into account all aspects of life.  It is very complex and requires more efforts of all stakeholders to talk about what happened and to address the main issues.

Regarding the desire for truth and the public’s demand for justice through different signed peace agreements, as the first truth and reconciliation commission (2003-2006) has failed to open a single enquiry; this paper will examine the priority of designing a new truth and reconciliation commission as prospect to attain sustainable peace in the DRC. Before that, the indigenous multi-ethnic mechanism of low-level conflicts settlement in North Kivu, ‘Barza intercommunautaire’ could be re-established in order to sensitize all ethnic groups and bring dialogue between them with the purpose to welcome the truth and reconciliation commission. Moreover, because the conflicts have a regional implication, in order to maintain stability in the eastern part of the DRC, a national dialogue will be suggested in both neighboring countries so that the Rwandan and Ugandan militias operating in the Congolese eastern forest since 1994 may return in their respective countries through a dialogue process because efforts for military disarmament have not been successful.

Thus, this paper provides a brief overview of different conflicts; analyzes different attempts to address the past as the way to rebuild the country, and the prospects of sustainable peace.

Send your comments as the paper will be published soon.

Paper presented to the International Peace Forum in the collaboration with the Rotary Club of Pretorai Hatfield and the Institute for Dispute Resolution in Africa (IDRA-UNISA) on May 2013.

Philippe Tunamsifu Shirambere is currently an LLD Student at UNISA. Has a Master of Arts in International Law and the Settlement of Disputes from the United Nations affiliated University for Peace (Costa Rica-2001) and a Honours in Public International Law from the Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs (ULPGL-Goma). He is also a lecture of law at the ULPGL in the Eastern part of the DR Congo and author of two books in addition to a number of articles.