Africa: Address the Root Causes of Conflict

Africa: Address the Root Causes of Conflict

So far, conflict resolution strategies to change Africa have failed and partly it is because these strategies have failed to account for the complexity of the causes and have instead tried to resolve the conflict quickly using thoughtless approaches.

For instance, the heads of states in the great lakes region made the famous Dar Es Salaam declaration on peace, security and democracy in November 2004. But what they failed to do, as many do, is to address the root causes of conflict. Failure to diagnose the sickness and keep on treating the symptoms is one of our challenges.

Colonialism created a pattern in the great lakes region that is well explained in an old metaphor, when Rwanda sneezes; the Congo and Burundi catch a cold and vice visa. It is widely understood that the continuing conflicts in the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi are linked inextricably through cross-border ethnic linkages, economic ties, insurgencies and irredentism. These form fault lines in the region that feed well the geo-political interests of both internal and external actors.

It is not viable to maintain a colonial state if by doing so nations are destroyed in the name of state building. We should allow natural evolution of an African state without interference. This means allowing the current situation in Somalia to be settled by Somali’s themselves. I am aware of the great cost involved, but this is a price Africa is paying for accepting expatriates to pose as our liberators.

Truly speaking nation building can never stand on transient bases of flags, street names or national dresses. Until serious thought is expended, we shall continue to walk in and out of peace conferences without solutions.

Kayumba David