The Onion

Timothy Reid makes an interesting argument in his article, "Killing them Softly: Has Foreign Aid to Rwanda and Uganda Contributed to the Humanitarian Tragedy in the DRC?" Reid offers a convincing amount of evidence suggesting that both Rwanda and Uganda made substantial gains in the occupation of the DRC. He also argues that western governments were implicit in this exploitation because they continued to contribute aid money to both countries. Essentially, the argument is in the title. I think Reid did a good job presenting the information, though at  times his impassioned speech becomes more of a rant and his writing suffers because of it. But this is understandable, given that much of the information Reid offers up is essentially saying (in data), 'Don't you see what is happening here!?' I have heard this argument before, repeatedly in fact, but I am guessing that in 2006 it was new to the scene. However now, in 2013, fingers are still being pointed at DRC neighbors and yet little has changed. Numerous books have been written about Rwanda and Uganda being 'beacons' of positive economic development in Africa. But what these books don't ask--and the reason this article is still relevant--is as what cost? I think this is an essential question which Reid poses and does a commendable job at answering.

However, I think it would be foolish to say that the conflict occurring in the DRC is the result of one, comprehensive reason. So even Reid's argument here, though well formulated, does not give us the whole picture. I certainly think neighborly meddling has been--and may continue to be--a part of the impetus for conflict. However, the conflict has gone on far too long and is steeped in far too much history be solely the result of one cause. One supreme example of this are the continued violations that women have faced over the past decade. As is being suggested to a greater extent, systematic inequalities which existed in the DRC prior to the eruption of conflict undoubtedly feed into the atrocities that are now being committed. Therefore, if there is ever to be a resolution of the conflict in its entirety, it is absolutely necessary to acknowledge these multiple layers and the way they interact with one another.  This includes addressing countries which are violating the sovereignty of the DRC, as well as all other levels of exploitation, ie. the high levels of domestic violence which are talked about in an earlier blog entry. The conflict in the DRC is much like an onion, with layer upon layer of reasoning for the continued fighting. The importance of acknowledging this is essential to understanding how to even begin looking at the conflict as a whole.