Severine Autesserre: To solve mass violence, look to locals

TL;DR

This content discusses the forgotten conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, highlighting the local causes of violence and the need for bottom-up peacebuilding initiatives.

Transcript

I want to speak about a forgotten conflict. It's a conflict that rarely hits the headlines. It happens right here, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Now, most people outside of Africa don't know much about the war in Congo, so let me give you a couple of key facts. The Congolese conflict is the deadliest conflict since World War II. It has cau... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌍 The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the deadliest since World War II, with almost four million deaths and ongoing destabilization of Central Africa for the past 18 years.
• 💔 Violence in Congo is largely driven by local bottom-up conflicts, which international peace efforts have failed to address.
• 💎 The focus on the illegal exploitation and trafficking of natural resources and sexual abuse as weapons of war in Congo overshadows other core causes of the conflict.
• 🌍 The international community has made significant efforts in peacebuilding, including hosting the largest UN peacekeeping mission and holding successful national elections, but violence and human rights violations persist.
• 🙌 Local conflicts in Congo are caused by competition over land and power at the individual, family, and community levels, often escalating into widespread violence.
• 🌍 Current peacebuilding efforts have failed to address local conflicts due to a dominant peacebuilding culture that neglects micro-level tensions and focuses on national and international factors.
• 🔍 Examples from other conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Sudan, and Somaliland demonstrate the importance of grassroots peacebuilding initiatives for sustainable peace.
• 👥 To make peace sustainable, both macro-level and micro-level peacebuilding are necessary, with local actors and organizations playing a central role in bottom-up conflict resolution.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are some key facts about the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

The Congolese conflict is the deadliest conflict since World War II, causing almost four million deaths. It has destabilized most of Central Africa for the past 18 years and is the largest ongoing humanitarian crisis in the world.

Q: Why did the speaker first go to Congo in 2001?

The speaker went to Congo in 2001 because they were a young humanitarian aid worker who met a woman named Isabelle, who had experienced the horrors of the conflict. Isabelle's village was attacked by local militias, resulting in deaths, rapes, and looting.

Q: What are two central observations the speaker has regarding the ongoing conflict in Congo?

The speaker observes that the violence in Congo is largely driven by local conflicts at the individual, family, clan, municipality, community, and district levels. Additionally, international peace efforts have failed to address these local conflicts due to a dominant peacebuilding culture that primarily focuses on national and international tensions.

Q: How do local conflicts contribute to violence in Congo?

Local conflicts in Congo often revolve around political, social, and economic stakes, such as competition for power, land, and the exploitation of local mining sites. These conflicts can escalate from fighting at the village or territory level to full-scale civil and international war, threatening the national and international settlements.

Q: Why have international peace efforts failed to address local conflicts in Congo?

International interveners, influenced by a dominant peacebuilding culture, often view grassroots conflict as unimportant, unfamiliar, and illegitimate. They prioritize top-down interventions and neglect the micro-level tensions that jeopardize macro-level settlements. This resistance to change and organizational interests hinder efforts to implement effective local peacebuilding programs.

Q: How can conflicts be resolved in war and post-war environments?

Conflicts in war and post-war environments can be resolved by addressing them from both the macro-level and micro-level perspectives. While national and international tensions are important, bottom-up peacebuilding initiatives at the local level have shown to make peace sustainable. Local actors, including NGOs, civil society representatives, and authorities, should be the main drivers of these bottom-up processes.

Q: What approach should be taken in addressing the conflict in Congo?

Based on the speaker's research, international and Congolese actors should prioritize the resolution of land conflicts and the promotion of inter-community reconciliation in Congo. Programs like inter-community forums, which discuss local conflicts and find solutions, should be implemented throughout eastern Congo to help manage violence and address deeply rooted causes of the conflict.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the deadliest since World War II, causing almost four million deaths and destabilizing Central Africa for 18 years.

• International peace efforts have failed to address the local bottom-up conflicts that are driving the violence.

• Local conflicts, such as those over land and power, are often overlooked by international peacebuilders, leading to inadequate peacebuilding and potential war resumption. Bottom-up peacebuilding initiatives involving local actors are crucial for sustainable peace.