Can't we Prevent Another War in DRC?
It is easier to start wars but often very difficult to
end one. The best we can do is to prevent wars. The cost of war is often too
high to contemplate for peace lovers but for lovers of war it remains an
enterprise, after all, they thrive in creating, fighting and sustaining wars.
The world isn’t short of wars; you would imagine we need none. But no, some
people still crave wars; they cannot get enough of them; they just have to
create yet another. The most prevalent of wars these days, it appears is war of
the powerful “leaders” against their own powerless people. They commit
genocides. They kill part of the very people they pretentiously swear to
protect and defend. This is prevalent in Africa today.
Now here we are and President Joseph Kabila is clearly
busy preparing for war against his own people. He is hell bent to kill part of
the people of Congo. Kabila’s government is certainly working towards delaying
electoral preparations as part of an evolving ploy to remain in power. But
judging by the government’s own actions, which have grown increasingly paranoid
and heavy-handed in recent months, the motto hasn’t resonated much with the
Congolese people. The
people of Congo seem to want to have elections; or at least, to have Kabila
leave power. But Kabila does not seem to have any intention of leaving power
any time soon. This is an act that places him directly against his people. It
is therefore Kabila against the people.
But remember the people are not as powerful as he is
in terms of access to and control of state and even extra-state hard power. He
commands the armed forces and he has access to resources that the ordinary
people both individually and collectively do not have. This is why it cannot be
war of equals. It is war between the advantaged, powerful “leader” on the one
hand and poor vulnerable peasants on the other. For sure the people stand to
lose in terms of human cost of war.
So he is strategically planning to kill his own people
to retain power. But, can’t the humans of the world stop Kabila from planning
war against his own people? Haven’t we picked any lessons from neighboring
Burundi? Are we too blind to see the human cost of war? Don’t we care for the
people of Congo? Can’t the world speak out and stand to be counted in calling
on Kabila to stop right here right now? Can’t we be courageous enough to say no
to yet another way? CAN’T WE PREVENT WAR?
Can't we Prevent Another War in DRC?
Reviewed by Ibrahim Magara
on
September 21, 2016
Rating:
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