Introduction to International Politics
Foreign Event Analysis
| Locale | ![[]](http://www.kvasaheim.com/flags/flag15-cd.png "Flag of Congo (Democratic Republic of the)") | Congo (Democratic Republic of the) |
|---|---|---|
| Title |
Ceasefire Broken in DR Congo
| |
| Summary |
In the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the ceasefire recently called for has been broken. The BBC reports that the rebels are responsible for the new violence, after reports their own General Laurent Nkunda himself called for the ceasefire. The rebels claim they are protecting Tutsis from Hutu militias, dissidents who fled Rwanda after the genocide in 1994. The broken ceasefire came a day after the rebels ordered a nearby town of 35,000 to evacuate. The UN spokesman said, “It’s clear they are trying to have a territory completely under their control.” The UN has a peacekeeping force called in the area that has been ordered to stop the rebel offensive, and to fire if necessary.
| |
| Analysis |
This situation has escalated after years of turmoil in the DR Congo. The rebels are Tutsis who feel displaced, and thus are in a struggle for control of a territory of their own. They allege that the aggressors are Hutus who favor the Congolese governments. The most central issue is the vast rift between the two peoples involved, the Tutsis and the Hutus. They have held a decades-long and deep-seated mistrust for one another. As in social constructivism, the two groups have formed their identities relative to each other. During the Rwandan genocide, and for many years before, Tutsis and Hutus regarded the other with suspicion and maltreatment.
However, one of the principles of social constructivism, subjective dialogue, has all but halted in this situation. General Nkunda requested direct talks with Congolese president Joseph Kabila to mediate the situation. UN peacekeepers do not see this as a feasible solution; after all, he is breaking the ceasefire for which he advocated. The belief of the UN, an international institution, is to simply restore the peace. It is not so easy when both parties hold conflicting beliefs, especially about each other. With the memories of the genocide still fresh, Tutsis feel defensive and thus have supported the creation of an anarchical system.
In order to bridge the gap between Tutsis and Hutus, leaders must arrive at mutually acceptable norms to be embraced by both sides. The identity constructed by each places the two groups at loggerheads, so creating dialogue everyone can agree with is imperative. | |
| Perspective |  | Identity |
| In-Region URL | ||
| Out-of-Region URL | ||
| Submitted | November 7, 2008 at 12:03 pm | |
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