Foreign intervention and persistent conflict in North Kivu Province, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
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Date
2013-11
Authors
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Publisher
Kampala International University. School of Law
Abstract
African countries have suffered conflicts both intra and inter-state often originating
from foreign intervention by either super powers or other powerful member
states. This intervention in Africa chronicles the foreign political and military
interventions in Africa during the periods of decolonization (1956-1975) and the
Cold War (1945-1991), as well as during the periods of state collapse (1991-2001)
and the “global war on terror” (2001-2010). Since the late 19th century, Congo’s
vast natural resources have continually attracted violent intervention from abroad
and stoked internal conflicts (Keyes, 2004). The two major powers involved in the
region are the United States and France. Since both have a strategic interest in
rare metals, they would like to see their transnational corporations have access to
these resources. This study was set to find out the relationship between foreign
intervention and continued conflict in North Kivu, DRC. It was guided by three
specific objectives, that included determining the; i) determining the level of
foreign intervention in North Kivu, DRC; ii) the level of continued conflict in North
Kivu, DRC; iii) the relationship between foreign intervention and continued conflict
in North Kivu, DRC. The study was premised on the theory of realism, among
whose assumptions are that; states actions are guided by their national interests,
not morality, and that the international system is anarchic with no overarching
power. The study looked at the Concepts, Opinions, and Ideas from Authors and
Experts. Stratified random sampling was used to identify the respondents while
data was collected using questionnaires, interview guide and reviews. The data
was analyzed using the SPSS software. The findings indicated a positive
relationship between the extent of foreign intervention and continued conflict in
North Kivu, DRC. The study recommended the DRC Government and Rebels to
deploy the trained Congolese battalions first in Masisi and Rutshuru territories in
North Kivu to provide security for the population, to focus MONUSCO forces on
immediately increasing protection of the population, to start a revised program
combined with a new disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR)
program and to develop expertise to manage land conflicts. To the United Nations,
it recommended the Security Council to ensure a strong human rights component
for MONUSCO and strengthen it on its protection mandate. The international
community should focus on the rampant human rights violations and bring the
perpetrators to justice.
Description
A Dissertation Presented to the College of Higher Degrees and Research Kampala International University Kampala, Uganda In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Peace Building
Keywords
Foreign intervention, Persistent conflict