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Congo’s Political Renewal Reveals the Wounds of War: An Unfinished Job
by Aaron Ogungbadero
May 4, 2007
 
Recent moves in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have given hope for a peaceful future.  The United Nations has successfully led one of Congo’s most notorious militia leaders to actively disarm hundreds of his fighters.  Given Congo’s violent past, which has been marked by clashes between militias and the despicable practice of “recruiting” child soldiers, this recent development is an encouraging step towards peace.  While the DRC has made strides toward democratizing, the problem of violence remains the thorn in the side of Congo that must be rooted out before true progress can be made.

Peter Karim, the commander of the Front des Nationalistes and Intégrationnistes (FNI), has agreed to disarm 500 of his fighters and return them to civilian life in return for amnesty, stating, “I want peace, as does the DRC government…If amnesty was guaranteed for us, I would be willing to surrender tomorrow.”   In February, he disarmed 170 of his soldiers while demanding amnesty, showing that his desire for peace is matched only by his desire for innocence in the eyes of the law.  Karim’s militia is not the only one taking part in disarmament: other soldiers, including former presidential security officers and soldiers from the UN-Congolese Army unit, have already disarmed, and more are sure to follow. 

In terms of democracy, the DRC’s political developments in recent years have been encouraging.  On July 30, 2006, the DRC held its first free presidential elections in decades.  Under the watchful eyes of UN Peacekeeping forces, a relatively violence-free runoff election in October 2006 gave way to a renewed picture of the future with the election of Mr. Joseph Kabila.  Kabila inherited the presidency after the 2001 assassination of former president Laurent Kabila, Joseph’s father.  With the official swearing in of President Kabila in November 2006, the DRC took its first steps on what was destined to be a very long road to progress.  The new relative political stability of the DRC has created the situation in which the overwhelming societal struggles of the nation could be addressed.  President Kabila’s election helped build a more positive outlook for the future of the country and has helped, albeit slowly, repair the damaged reputation that the DRC has regretfully earned in the eyes of the international community.

Yet with decades of bloodshed in its recent history, one free and fair election is not enough to bring about a sustainable democracy in the DRC.  The country is still rife with some of the most horrific consequences of civil war and strife.  Many are still armed and many more remain in fear and poverty, despite the Congo’s vast riches in minerals.  The great majority of the Congolese people still live under some of the most destitute conditions in the world.  The years of fighting have left many without homes and families, forcing many children to play roles ranging from parent to armed combatant.

Efforts have been made to bring healing to the Congolese people.  In 2003, backed by western aid, the DRC began a program of disarmament, integrating militia fighters back into civilian life.  However, with infighting still an ongoing problem, and vast numbers of children unaccounted for, the program has yet to see tangible changes.  Many have yet to be emancipated from the rungs of injustice, as there are still thousands of children that remain in rebel groups, being forced to fight or become sex slaves to adult fighters. This issue exposes the fragility of the DRC’s governmental structure, fairly elected or not.  The matter of protecting and nurturing the children of the DRC is of the utmost importance and further change cannot occur if these dregs of war remain intact and unsolved.  

Moreover, while the problem of transitioning a war-torn and divided nation to a place of political stability continues to loom large, the inadequacies of proper judicial systems and integral local authorities further debilitate the overall health of the nation.  Bribery and corruption plague the nation’s judicial systems.  Abject poverty in this nation has led to widespread corruption as a means of survival; not even judges remain blameless.  This widespread corruption dismantles the integrity of the nation and greatly hampers the prospect of a sound civil society. 

It is the IIJD’s conviction that the judicial infrastructure of the DRC be revamped and rectified in order to create a sound and thorough system of government.  While the DRC has taken a significant step towards democracy with its electing a president in 2001, there is much work yet to do.  Presidential elections alone are only a step toward creating the environment needed for peace and development.  Given the findings from the 2006 International Conference on the State of Affairs of Africa:

To address the persistent development crisis in the DRC caused by weak systems of governance and supported by poor leadership and inept political and economic institutions, President Kabila must strive to reform systems of governance and the political institutions to include a real separation and balance of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.  The establishment of an independent judicial system in the DRC will help in protecting women’s rights, curbing violence, and promoting economic progress.

Without a focus on reforming the judiciary and creating a real balance of power between the three branches, it is impossible to expect stability and peace to be permanent and lasting.  Meanwhile, the disarmament of Congo’s militias also remains of utmost importance, as democracy cannot flourish without a concomitant desire for peace. Long term peace, justice and economic prosperity, can only occur in the DRC with a strong judiciary at its foundation.
 
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