The Trouble with the Congo: Local Violence and the Failure of International PeacebuildingThe Trouble with the Congo suggests a new explanation for international peacebuilding failures in civil wars. Drawing from more than 330 interviews and a year and a half of field research, it develops a case study of the international intervention during the Democratic Republic of the Congo's unsuccessful transition from war to peace and democracy (2003-2006). Grassroots rivalries over land, resources, and political power motivated widespread violence. However, a dominant peacebuilding culture shaped the intervention strategy in a way that precluded action on local conflicts, ultimately dooming the international efforts to end the deadliest conflict since World War II. Most international actors interpreted continued fighting as the consequence of national and regional tensions alone. UN staff and diplomats viewed intervention at the macro levels as their only legitimate responsibility. The dominant culture constructed local peacebuilding as such an unimportant, unfamiliar, and unmanageable task that neither shocking events nor resistance from select individuals could convince international actors to reevaluate their understanding of violence and intervention. |
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action African agendas analysis approach areas armed groups army authority became bottom-up build causes chapter civil communities conflict resolution Congo Congolese continued culture Democratic Republic diplomats dominant eastern provinces economic efforts elections ethnic example existing explain field fighting forces foreign grassroots groups human rights humanitarian implemented indigenous initiatives institutions interests international actors international peacebuilders International Rescue Committee intervention interviews involvement issues Ituri Kabila Katanga Kivu lack land leaders micro-level military militias mission MONUC nongovernmental North Kivu officials operations organizations peace peacekeeping political population presented problems programs projects RCD-G rebel regional regional and national remained Report result role Rwandan Rwandan Hutu Security Council situation social sources South Kivu staff strategy Studies tensions territory throughout tion top-down transition troops understanding United United Nations usually various violence wars York