Development in the Democratic Republic of Congo - Essay Example

Development in the Democratic Republic of Congo Introduction The location referred to as the Democratic Republic of Congowas inhabited as early as 100 centuries ago, with the Bantus settling there in the seventh and eighth centuries from the current Nigeria. According to Akitoby and Cinyabuguma (34), several years late since the settlements in the DRC, it has been faced with numerous challenges. The major areas pointed out the country’s administration to be requiring major attention include health, creation of jobs, infrastructure, education as well as electricity and water problem. The government has not been able to do much in the listed areas largely due to the intermittent sliding back to armed conflicts and the wanting insecurity levels witnessed in the many provinces in the Eastern region. Religion, ritual, and violence have served an appreciable role, both depressingly and positively, in the development progression of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in both the social scenario aspect, political and economic development aspects. Role of Religion, Ritual and Violence in the Social development of DRC In crisis, religion has served as an intermediary for ensuring emergency relief and safety for the victims of violence in the DRC. It has also played a significant role in being instrumental in the peacemaking process, encouraging the warring factors to embrace dialogue in resolving their misunderstanding. This intermediary role of player par excellence has been articulated both informally and officially. Religion has also stood out as the key engine of the institutional building, democratization process, and popular participation. One of the important pillars for the realization of democracy is conceived in the DRC through the many outreach programs initiated by the various faiths such as the Catholic Church (Herderschee, Han, Kai-Alexander and Samba, 78). The competence of the religious bodies reaching out to the farthest communities in every remote corner of DRC has been applied in the continued mobilization of the famous participation in the continuing process of democratization. Such a case was witnessed in the Catholic Church strong influential contribution in the process of electoral. Religion continues to play a considerable function in the encouragement of reverence for the rule of law, promotion of respect for the rights of human, as well as the promotion of the values and principles democracy, carried out through such initiatives as civic education programs. In the consolidation of the present peace milestone achieved through the process of reconciliation, religion has been an important factor in this role, playing it more efficiently and effectively than any other body. Through the impact of religion, the present arrangement politically in the DRC has allowed for a consensus on the control of power, in spite of not being able to address the deep lying causes of the violent conflicts that are connected to concerns related to historical prejudices and the unhealed traumas that result in the negative ethnicity (Kouvouama). Women and children have been the severely affected by the corollary violence, leaving deep psychological wounds in the major populace of the DRC (Moffet). The communal tensions as well as the ethnic fears are still vivid in some areas in spite of the government’s machinery presence. There is still engagement of religion in the psychosocial processes such as coming up with reconciliatory programs initiated especially from the community level whereby the deep seated hatred between the diverse ethnic communities is addressed and also through joining victims through the listening centers. Religion, through the various bodies, articulates for the increased capacity and awareness among the people in the peace building process through using extensive training centers and institutions. Religious bodies have become better equipped at handling, analyzing and comprehending the underlying dynamics and causes of conflict. Religion therefore, has built the capability among the societal members at large in preparation to put a stop to violent conflicts and uphold peaceful interactions. All these steps undertaken by the religious sector have been helpful in the progress of the social aspect of the DRC. DRC had an estimated population of almost fifty two million, according to a census report carried out in the year 2000. It is also home to over two hundred linguistic and ethnic collections. Majority of the DRC leaders, have favored particular ethnic groupings as well as locations over others, making worse the differences between these ethnic groupings. The future of the DRC is dependent upon the standard citizens going beyond the political public speaking of resentment and uniting within an African technique of democracy (Kouvouama). Majority of the Congolese speak various languages, with their continued flight to mining towns and cities exterior to their linguistic boundaries resulting in a fresh diverse of languages to come up. Movements and transformations have also resulted to developments within exclusive groups of languages such as the Swahili was taught in the colonial period era in the missionary school, evolved into the new dialect referred to as Kingwana. The preference of language bears the intrinsic political connotations (Kouvouama). In the DRC, the utilization of French in conversation implies a formal tone. The ethnic collections that majorly supported the overthrowing of leadership of the Mobutu regime have been unable to obtain citizenship due to equality and civil rights absence in the DRC. This group’s major objective was to dispose of Mobutu from his leadership. There are numerous reasons for the slow social development in the DRC regarding in connection with the ritual aspect. Such include the continued conflicts over the basic necessities including control and access over mineral resources, water and political agendas as well (Njogu & Orchardson-Mazrui). The DRC citizens have not affirmatively utilized their customs for the social development. According to Kouvouama, the political division created by the political class has negated the development of this nation. There has existed continued competition over the country’s resources, some even being fuelled by the external faces that indirectly benefit from the conflicts created. For the social development to be realized, the DRC citizens ought to embrace each other as allies, brothers, and sisters and form a strong unity of purpose towards the national development. The customs too should not be eliminated, rather be subjected to the preservation of their heritage. The existence of numerous linguistic makes it cumbersome developing communications and interactions amongst the Congolese people. They should for that reason, embrace the strong use of the national language for the preservation of peace. The civil war that has plagued the democratic republic of Congo has heard a negative impact on the social development of this mineral rich country. The war has caused undue suffering and human rights violations to the county’s inhabitants. This has led to a humanitarian crisis and social problems that have hampered the development of the country socially and economically. War has always had adverse impacts in the social life of a community. This mostly affects the vulnerable in the society and this includes the women and children. These vulnerable groups are victims of rape, torture, kidnappings, maiming and murders. These factors have led to the rot in society hampering social growth in the country. For social development to be realized there must be suitable conditions for family life. The family is the basic unit of a society and in order for a society to develop, families must be encouraged. The violence has led to the separation of families. Through deaths, kidnapping and displacements, families have been torn apart hence, the conditions of war are not conducive for social development (Moffet). Women have also been unfavorably affected by the violent behavior. They are usually raped during the violence and in some instances kidnapped to be sex slaves in a fighting camp (Baaz & Stern, 14). The women also face physical and psychological abuse. Women are usually beaten, verbally abused and psychologically demeaned. Women are an important component in society and the well-being of women is crucial for social development. This is because children need maternal love and guidance in order to grow up well, apart from religious inclinations. This is strengthened by Devisch assertion that women constitute most prayer groups (Devisch, 626). In Congo, young children were kidnapped and recruited as child soldiers. This put the young minds through mental and psychological torture. The children are denied the right to grow up as normal children and are instead trained to kill at this tender age. This has led to negative effects in social development in that children grow up in a society filled with death. Discriminatory and Non-Discriminatory Networks Trade systems do unavoidably maximize trade, though. Networks can be by nature elite, and they can redirect trade in addition to create trade. Networks centered on the sharing of spiritual culture might discriminate in opposition to non-believers and redirect trade away from associates with the uppermost potential joint welfare achievements (Njogu & Orchardson-Mazrui). It is argues that development in non-religious organization during the Renaissance prolonged trade to an additional diverse deposit of traders than was probable with the previous cultural networks. The internet is established to have had little consequence on worldwide trade sooner than 1995 and was rather exclusive, but subsequent to the year 1997, when it emerged to be more religiously inclusive, had a radically positive consequence on trade dimensions (Turner, 23). Lastly, religious civilizations circuitously affect business and trade via their control on foundations such as social traditions, customs, laws, government and other organizations. For numerous of the identical reasons that the straight pressure of religious culture might, or may not, create a country’s administration, laws, system, social civilization, and ethnicity supportive of global trade. In synopsis, theory and proof provide an ambiguous depiction of how a spiritual culture in all-purposely is probable to affect global trade (Rutter, 9). The Role of Religion and Rituals in Political Development of Congo Religious affiliation and grouping has been responsible not only for Congo’s violence but also in determine the kind of leadership, which will result from the members has constant revolts mostly to the ruling governed (Devisch, 613). At the same time church conventions in this case catholic , have mean known for its efforts in advocacy for peace making and a peace living society especially in its 2003 Inter-Congolese dialogue where they joined efforts with other civil societies. Before Congo engaged its self into conflicts the church has been known for its active participation in service delivery in the public. Religious groups have also been known for using their powers to influence the government to and the measures to take in order to ensure a peaceful election process. The religious groups have also been witnessed in the active role they have been playing in educating its members in the right channels to follow while trying to handle a new life typically after violence and conflicts. This has been witnessed by one of the Congo’s senior clergy Archbishop Monsengwo who in his statement urges other civil societies in cultivating a condusive environment for citizens in construction of a healing environment after conflicts (Samuels, 45). Religious groups having the capability to optimistically appreciate the natural resources Congo process and its capability to stand as one of the powerful nations in the continent economically should there be a peaceful environment. This therefore makes them through their non-egocentric clergy leaders see the need to gather its citizens and explain to them the need to have a peaceful environment for better life. Most of the conflicts that have taken place in Congo have been explained by the religious leaders as inevitable in either way especially as a result to election outcomes. This is because neither side, the ruling and opposition is ready to concede defeat. The oppositions always claiming a foul play from the government stirring conflicts out of aggression. In the previous 2006 elections where Kabila’s ruling government won the elections, there were many revolts with most of the groups giving support to the opposition side towards opposing the President’s fair election win therefore stirring more problems. Religious leaders themselves conducted a study that predicted a new wave of conflict likely to be stirred by the 2006 election making the warlords to start new fights that would divide the nation and therefore influenced the government to prepare its self for a dialogue irrespective of the election outcome. Their word soon came true when immediately after elections Congo’s opposition leader Pierre Mbemba cried a foul play in the 2006 election by the current president and consequently the religious leaders rushed into seeking for a formal and peaceful negotiations requesting the Unite Nations meditational roles. This therefore not only earned them credit or their efficient engagement towards provision of peaceful ways of conducting negotiations but also provided their necessity in their presence. The Role of Violence in Political Life in Congo There are ongoing conflicts in Congo has compromised the general security of the country making citizens fear to conduct any permanent activity for the uncertainty of the stability. Violence in Congo has mostly been because of great misunderstanding between the ruling governments and its armed opposing military troops going to an extent of the rebel groups merging with countries enemy troops of Rwanda to fight the government. The recent conflicts that led to fresh fights in the Religions of Goma were feared to escalate fresh ethnic discrimination. Despite Congo being one of the largest nations with mass accumulation of natural resources, it has been ranked among the poorest countries with a life expectancy of 43 years and known to have the poorest records in gender sensitivity. Congo has also through its civil wars that has clamed more than four million lives been ranked as the country with the highest number of deaths since Second World War (Autesserre). The former president Mobutu’s dictatorial regime also led to the degradation of the country’s economy that saw the nation into international debts. The ongoing violence has led to the eastern region of Kivu to be a lawless region and consequently led to a lot of human right abuse. There has been shocking cases of women abuse mostly by rape ranging from as young as three years and as old as 75 years reaching an average of 45 rapes in a day. Congo’s violence has contributed from a serious recession because of its increased crisis in expenditure there were no exports and therefore the balance of payment. Unemployment and poor living standards have been escalated by the war in Congo therefore leading to this deterioration in the economy (Devisch, 597). Food shortages and unsatisfactory remedial care has led to the country’s shortage in productivity and therefore poor economy in the end (Autesserre, 98). The Role of Violence to the Economic Development in Congo There has been also an equal distribution of resources throughout the country and also looting has been experienced in most parts that are known for their rich mineral resource accumulation. The major sources of economic deterioration in Congo are the deliberate conflicts caused by political groups with greedy intentions of looting the country’s natural resources mostly with collaboration with other foreign members with ill intentions (Kouvouama). Lack of an organized public administration has really posed a threat to any formal investment and therefore creates a phobia for foreign investment both imports and exports. Southern Congo has also been known to host several ethnic tribes whose differences and rivalry started back in the olden days. These ethnic communities take advantage of any slight conflicts and misunderstanding to either revenge or retaliate a previous social misunderstanding that has prevailed for long and most probably not in any way related to the current conflict. Politicians are also known for their taking advantage of niter ethnical groups in order to seek violent support in achieving their economic targets of looting the nation. Conclusion Religion has greatly impacted positively to the development of the DRC. Its continued role in the establishment of peace and the numerous activities such as the process of setting up of a democratization process, that have been undertaken by the religious bodies have been instrumental in the development and the height that DRC has so far managed. Violence on the other hand, continues to damage the gains made by the various bodies striving to realize development. The conflicts that lead to the violence ought to be dealt with amicably, preferably through dialogue. Violence is a means to an end. Rituals are very important, especially in the African set up as they demonstrate our culture. Attempts should be made in ensuring they are not used for the negative purposes. They are the heritage and pride of DRC. Religions can consequence global trade in numerous ways. Initially, religion is an educational institution that unswervingly guides human performance (Devisch, 614). For instance, if a spiritual culture promotes production, hard work, and profitable activity, it is probable to also hearten international trade. Alternatively, numerous religious traditions dishearten the interim search of happiness, and this might hold back people’s longing to connect in short-term wellbeing-enhancing financial transactions (Nzongola-Ntalaja, 78). The virtual strengths of religion’s optimistic and unenthusiastic institutional outcomes on global trade fluctuate from one religious civilization to a different since each provides rather different inducements for human behavior. Subsequently, the sharing of scrupulous religious civilizations by people in diverse countries may augment trust and, as a result, successfully create systems that aid complex global economic dealings when other helpful government and societal institutions are mislaid (Staub, 67). Works Cited Autesserre, Severine. Hobbes and the Congo: Frames, Local Violence, and International Intervention. 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