Dawn of a New Era of Peace in Africa

For centuries Africa has suffered from extreme structural violence resulting in great loss of human life and the inflicting of enormous suffering on her people. Slavery was one stage in the uprooting and scattering of African people, and the destruction of communities. The next phase in this creation of a culture of violence and expropriation came with colonialism, when Africa and her people became pawns in the power games of invaders who divided the spoils with no regard for indigenous cultures and existing political systems, thereby laying the basis for future conflicts. Most of the conflicts that we are trying to resolve now have their roots in the struggle for control of Africa's riches, and the politics of the West's Cold War. Looking towards the future for the children of Africa is bleak. Thousands have been mutilated by ongoing wars and massacres; children are turned into soldier-killers, slaves and prostitutes. In many African countries, human rights are a travesty. Governments are corrupt, there is no rule of law and poverty makes freedom an illusion. Many, like Mobutu, were kept in power for decades by the mighty dollar, and still, especially where there is oil, alliances between foreign governments and non-representative groups continue regardless of democracy or human rights.

Arms or education?

While Western governments spin stories to the media about aid for Africa, their home economies are producing arms for sale to developing countries. The supply of arms undermines democracy, peace, sustainable development and human rights. Therefore the countries that continue to supply weapons to fuel the conflicts in Africa should be held accountable for the poverty, lack of education and health care, especially during this time of Aids. If the money spent on arms were to be channelled into education, all children could be in school and millions could receive health care.

The UN in Africa

Various problems dog the history of the UN's involvement in Africa. Among others, their principles of 'impartial' and consensual peacekeeping become deeply compromised when placed in the context of complex and nuanced intrastate conflicts. Often they have been unable to provide the security and assistance called for under international humanitarian law. When genocide followed the failure of preventive diplomacy in Rwanda, the international community disengaged. Though they provided subsequent relief to refugees, these attempts merely dressed the wounds of conflict, and failed to prevent the injury.

On the African continent, the UN task of bringing peace has become increasingly complex and complicated - and Western governments are reluctant to intervene in conflicts in Africa. Though it is widely believed that this is a signal of Western impotence to bring peace, it is also thought that few countries in Africa have the resources. But perhaps it is time to build peace not through weapons and arms, but through community involvement and development of local infrastructures, as some UN contingents have done in Africa. Perhaps it is as well that the responsibility for building peace in Africa should devolve to the countries on the continent.

Africans Building Peace

Since the launch of the African Union and its Peace and Security Council, African nations are facing the problem of dealing with wars in Africa. Its aim is to develop a coordinated defence policy. While funding remains a major challenge amongst the many, the commitment is for Africans to bring peace to Africa - though success is not necessarily certain.

South Africa is one of the key countries committed to resolving conflict in Africa, and driving the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) - a blueprint for peace and security, good governance and sustainable economies.

South Africa is offering its knowledge, experience and resources to other countries to maintain peace and stability. An uneasy and intermittent peace prevails in the Great Lakes Region where 200 000 were killed in Burundi's civil war. And two and a half million, mostly civilians, have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while others die of diseases and starvation. South Africa has been active in hosting talks between many warring factions, and finally succeeded in opening the way for a transitional government in the DRC. South Africa is intent on getting as many stakeholders represented as possible. The peace is fragile, and President Mbeki has called for stronger measures from the peacekeeping forces to protect civilians and prevent further massacres.

It is important to understand the context of Africa when we talk about peace-building in Africa. The peace process in Burundi had a Pan-African perspective, and mixed modern peacekeeping with traditional African ways of solving conflict - it gradually identified the social, economic and cultural roots of the conflict to seek appropriate solutions. Though more invisible in news that favours sensation and war, there is much cooperation amongst many Africans to promote peace. The Gacaca process in Rwanda and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa are models for reconciliation from which the rest of the world may learn.
We need to integrate our understanding of peace as a yearning for wholeness and integrity. And underneath that vision of peace, is the foundation that justice and human rights are at the core of building peace. Only through using our understanding of ubuntu how we are connected to the rest of humanity and a common - spirituality can we aspire to lasting peace in Africa.