Campaign for Sustained Peace in the Congo

Jacques Depelchin jdtutashinda writes:

Campaign for a Sustained Peace

In the Democratic Republic of Congo

Introduction

Our country was born out of a series of conquests, i.e. through warfare and subjugation of its inhabitants through brutal force. The massacre of millions of people was justified, ironically, under the label of pacification and civilization. The lives and thoughts of people were despised. "Might is right" was not only the best principle, but considered to be the only valid one. The consciousness of radical impotence and shaking fear in front of the ruler/leader was thus firmly implanted.

The military establishment's presence throughout the Administration extended into corporate boards and characterized the entire belgian colonial enterprise in the Congo.

Since our country's Independence, on June 30th 1960, the structure of political power has been characterized by strong militarization. The army mutiny, in July 1960, ended with rewarding the mutineers and eventually neutralization of the civilian leaders, in September 1960, until the military coup of November 1960. Power in the Congo only benefits the top military brass and its backers.

Even today, the organization of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue, its functioning and the meager results achieved in the shape of the Sun City Global Agreement, more attention was paid to belligerents. In 1998, the rebellion stated democratization as its reason for taking up arms. But, even after having managed to get to the ICD, the rebellion continues to hang on to guns and territorial control against the wishes of people living in those areas in order to be able to claim more power in the negotiations over power sharing. The government organizes its military forces in order to prevent the development of team spirit and a consciousness of belonging to an institution which respects people and their rights. Granting of higher commissions are made on the basis of cronyism, kickbacks, erratically, and without respecting the prescriptions spelled out in the military code of conduct. One hangs onto armies in order to hang onto power. Never has there existed something like a strategic studies department, or even the thought of organizing study groups on the subject in our armies.

In the DR of Congo demilitarization of the foundations of colonial and postcolonial political power relations is the sine qua non condition for sustained peace and even democratization. The militarization of political power continues to be the backbone of Congolese society. The resort to guns and warfare are considered as the most effective means to achieve power, keep it and prevent the others from getting to it. Today, warlords -- even accused of having assassinated political adversaries, ordered massacres, participated in the illegal exploitation of our country's resources -- are considered as leaders and authorities of our country. The history of our country is a succession of massacres; all Congolese have lived through the common experience of injustice and generalized insecurity.

The movement of the National Sovereign Conference (1991-92), which demanded complete democratization, was bound to fail because it did not take seriously the demilitarization of power relations.

It is indeed the reproduction of the relations of production imposed through colonial conquest which continues to dictate the perpetuation of the militarization of political power. And that is the reason why these relations have to be transformed, having relied too much and for too long on forced labor and on all forms of repression, starting with the expropriation of land, state confiscation of common and private property.

Pervasive arbitrariness, under Mobutu, developed into privatization of the State, i.e. the State is Mobutu, completely asphyxiating freedom of thought and thought itself, politics in power became thoughtless, devoid of vision and without any long term perspective and thus without any consideration for the necessity of a sustained peace. The militarist cum tyrant imposed himself as the model of leaders.

The DR of Congo occupies in Africa and in the world a strategic position, but the Congolese public consciousness has not risen to the level required by such a position.

Conditions for sustained peace:

Complete demilitarization of the political power relations;

Eradication of despotism in the relations of production and reproduction, still based on forms of forced labor -- which leaves lots of people without a job, homeless, without resources coupled with the domination and authoritarian subordination of women and children and the parental oppression of the latter. Salaries are rarely paid having been reduced today almost to the equivalent of the irregular meals served to prisoners.

Promoting in the public consciousness the philosophy and practice of the sanctity of life, spirit of tolerance and humility;

Organization of political battles, on the basis of founding principles for true and real democracy, i.e, make sure that one counts as one, nobody counts for nothing, nobody counts for two, everyone counts as one wherever she is. All in all for the respect of the rights of all people;

Organized political battles against policies, attitudes, thoughts, ideologies of hatred, language encouraging violence, intolerance, arbitrariness, brutality, terror and discrimination, and the resort to so-called traditional customs which promote violence as a sign of virility and love;

Creating the conditions of solidarity within the population (State for everybody, City for everyone, school, hospital for everyone. Through dialogue and palavers resolve conflicts, institutions must reflect the demands of the people, justice and social justice must be for all, the right for self-determination must be defended) and between people (through solidarity associations between people, meetings between peoples);

Get out of the dynamic of an economy articulated around and determined by the extraction of natural resources, one of the sources of violence;

The conscientious building and creation of measures and conditions of trust between the people and leaders, among the leaders themselves and self-confidence of every leader must become a high priority task;

Creating independent associations for the promotion, defense and protection for the culture and education for peace and non-violence in the DRC. For example, going into educational institutions in order to repress the thoughts of those whose ideas you do not share will not facilitate the promotion for peace, for democracy or non-violence;

Reduction of the defense budget and providing more for the civilian ministries. Professionalization of the army through compulsory national military service for all;

Denounce and combat the trafficking of arms and other means of violence; putting in place policies of controlling the circulation of arms;

Leadership for a sustained peace

It is not possible to have a deranged mind and at the same time think correctly. We need honest leaders, who think correctly, who behave in a civil manner and act as national leaders. We must avoid having leaders who are egotistical , self-centered, arrogant and corrupt. We need leaders whose behavior, public and private lives are governed by the following virtues: absolute honesty, absolute transparency, absolute love and absolute generosity.

Here are some of the good qualities of a good leader:

Be more and have less;

Exemplary moral life;

Honesty and compassion;

Humility and helping others;

Putting the interests of the country ahead of one's own;

Not changing one's principle (conscience) in order to please one's superiors or public opinion;

Incorruptible and against the use of corruption;

Keeping and respecting promises and the given word;

Firmly believing in dialogue, consensus, in participatory politics, in the palaver and respecting the thoughts of others;

Accepting to publicly declare one's assets;

Be a contributor to the creation of national wealth and not its looter;

Refusing to be driven by anger, hatred or revenge;

Obeying the laws of the country and be protective of public institutions and property;

Believing in marriage and defending the family as the core nucleus of the nation;

In addition to those qualities, the leadership for sustained peace must firmly oppose and be opposed to resorting to guns as a way of getting to and keeping oneself in power; they must identify with and promote the principles of good governance, of right to self-determination, including the right to secede, of anti-militarism, of ethics of truth, of anti-male chauvinism, of non-violence, of the demilitarization of power relations in the DRC, of resorting to dialogue, to negotiations, to the palaver as means of resolving conflicts, of the sanctity of every single human life, etc.

Solidarity with congolese people and activists for sustained peace in the DRCongo.

The support from everywhere, through solidarity with congolese people for sustained peace in the DR Congo could be done through political battles on specific points of the public consciousness.

Here are some of the points which could be considered:

Reinforce the groups which actively work for sustained peace;

Help militants to identify the groups which are an obstacle to sustained peace and their external backers;

Help the activists shatter the influence of those forces which are obstacles to sustained peace;

Refuse any assistance to those forces which are promoting militarization of political power relations, militarism and terrorism (whether state or private);

Prevent militarists and warlords from getting into power;

Support and participate in the political battles for peace and non violence;

Support decisions which favor sustained peace;

Encourage expiatory ceremonies in order to extirpate the effects on the Congolese consciousness due to repeated cycles of violence;

Publicly denounce the industrial and war traffickers and their customers;

Organize a bank or foundation for peace in Congo;

Demand reparation for genocide and massacres committed during colonial and post-colonial rule;

Bring to the International Criminal Tribunal those responsible for massacres, without forgetting the Belgian Royal family as related to King Leopold II's legacy.

Conclusion

It is through peace and the practice of virtues favorable to peace that a sustained peace can be achieved and maintained.

Kinshasa, August 31st, 2002