Finding Possible Resolution Measures in the Central Africa Republic - Research Paper Example

Finding Possible Resolution Measures in the Central Africa Republic Conflict is said to have broken out when there is a state of uprising, leading to the absence of peace. When such uprising comes about as a result of ethnic sentiments and ethnic related issues, it is said that there is an ethnic conflict. The Central Africa Republic (CAR) is one such country that has experienced this state of ethnic conflict for a good number of years now. The paper rightly identifies the root cause of the current situation in CAR and notes that the prevailing situation is not one that cannot be dealt with if the right international relations expertise is employed. These international relations expertise would best function when they are taken from the theoretical perspective of conflict resolution. The reason conflict resolution principles are particularly important in the case of CAR where ethnic conflict exists is the fact that conflict resolution is multi-variant and allows for as many methodologies and systems of peace as possible to be employed. This way, it is possible to identify the needs and concerns of all stakeholders involved in the conflict and rightly serve the needs and concerns of these people. Until now, there has not been a drastic effort to differentiate the dynamisms of CAR’s ethnic conflict from other forms of conflicts within the African continent and so solutions have not functioned effectively. Contents Abstract 2 1.0 Introduction 4 1.1 Research Question 5 2.0 Literature Review 6 2.1 Dynamisms of Ethnic Conflicts 6 2.2 Efficacy of Conflict Resolution in dealing with Ethnic Conflict 7 2.3 The role of stakeholder participation in ethnic conflict solutions 8 3.0 Statement of Hypothesis 10 4.0 Variables 10 4.1 Types of Variables 10 4.2 Operationalization and Measurement of variables 10 5.0 Data Acquisition 11 5.1 Research Approach 11 5.2 Research Strategy 12 5.3 Data Collection Process 12 6.0 Reporting and analysis of data 14 6.1 Existing conflict solution efforts 14 6.2 Outcome of conflict solution efforts 15 6.3 Expert Concern on the way forward 16 7.0 Summary and Concluding thoughts 17 7.1 Summary of Key Findings 17 7.2 Conclusion 17 Works Cited 20 1.0 Introduction The CAR conflict started in the year 2012 and has not seen any improvement since that time. The conflict, which has been termed as a civil war is largely between the Seleka rebels on one side and government on the other side.1 Largely though, the conflict have erupted as a result of ethnic and religious based misunderstandings between Christians and Muslims. Already, rebels have captured several towns in the country and caused a lot of havoc including the raping of innocent women and undertaking of mass killings of ordinary citizens who otherwise lived a very peaceful and normal life.2 There reports that suggest that the CAR conflict has taken the shape of ethnic cleanings of Muslim civilians, leading to the death of several Muslims in the towns that have been captured by rebels.3 The conflict situation worsened when rebels managed to capture the capital city, which is Bangui, in which case the president of the country, President François Bozizé had to flee the country entirely.4 The conflict seems to see no way forward for peace in the shortest while due to the interethnic posture that the conflict has taken. Because of this interethnic posture, it is not possible to have a common consensus from the central government to resolve the conflict.5 Knowing that already there have been over 500 casualties with 20 CAR soldiers, 13 South African soldiers and 2 France soldiers killed, there is no way the conflict can be allowed to continue in its current state without the right solutions being meted out to resolving it. This research paper therefore comes in as an extensive secondary research that reviews existing documents and facts about the conflict with the aim of finding long lasting practical approach to solving the ethnic conflict in CAR. It is envisioned that with the right methods of resolution, it will be possible to find a lasting solution to the existing ethnic conflict in CAR. This ambition is particularly realistic given the fact that the causes of the conflict are clearly known, as well as the outcome of some existing resolution programs. It has been noted for example that the conflict between Christians and Muslims have come about due to constraints of land and resources.6 The paper will therefore put much emphasis on the place and effectiveness of the adequate and equal distribution of national resources in resolving the ethnic conflict of CAR. This will be measured against the existing forms of United Nations interventions, which has focused on disarmament of rebels and other parities engaged in the conflict.7 1.1 Research Question What behavioral and social forms of reconciliation are needed in the conflict resolution process in the ethnic conflict of CAR? 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Dynamisms of Ethnic Conflicts A number of literature were reviewed to find from them if there were any unique dynamisms that ethnic conflicts posed that were different from other forms of conflict. In this, it was discovered that unlike other forms of conflicts and war, ethnic conflicts have a unique behavioral and social form that is not present in others.8 The behavioral and social form have further been explained to be a situation in which the people involved in the conflict approach the war from a more personalized perspective with the aim of having their socio-behavioral needs met.9 What this means is that most forms of ethnic conflicts are ethnographic in nature, dealing with the cultural variables of the people involved in the conflict.10 In situations of this kind, it is always important that pragmatic steps will be taken to understand the individual interests of all people involved in the conflict, including minority groups.11 This is because a refusal to pay attention to minor groups as well as major groups will be a way of denying people of their basic minor rights. Meanwhile, the behavioral and social forms involved in ethnic conflicts have been explained to be so volatile that an absence of well calculated efforts to change the mentality and conceptualization of the people involved would only worsen incidence of violence.12 This point is rightly accepted because in a situation where everyone wants to have their interests met, the resulting factor is that no one will be ready to take a soft stand for the other party to win. Such is the situation being faced among Muslims and Christians in the CAR conflict.13 2.2 Efficacy of Conflict Resolution in dealing with Ethnic Conflict In times of ethnic conflict, such as the one being experienced in CAR, there are a number of interventions that are tried as a means of bringing the conflict to an end. In the current situation, peace intervention efforts have been taken over by the Africa Union and Union Nations, given the fact that the conflict is seen to be far more than religion.14 But the fact remains that CAR is experiencing an ethnic conflict that is dominated by religious dispositions.15 In the light of this, the need to use conflict resolution mechanisms in dealing with the situation has been suggested.16 The suggestions for the use of conflict resolution mechanisms come from the fact that conflict resolution emphasizes on reconciliation and mediation, which are important tools that satisfy the unique dynamics of ethnic conflicts.17 Using conflict resolution, it is possible to approach the peace process from a humanistic perspective where all factions are treated same with no blame games.18 As it is now, peace interventions have focused on the need to alleviating the plight of victims without critically considering the use of mediation programs.19 There is evidence to suggest that the intensity of the conflict increases by the day as with the president even having to flee the country.20 The CAR nation that used to be a peace loving state is today divided among itself21 because conflict resolution that focuses on reconciliation among all factions have been neglected. Presently, an advocacy to use conflict resolution that is taken from the behavioral and social forms of the war would be major approach to creating social identity among the people.22 With such form of social identity, it will be easier for the people to accept themselves as one people and thus have an intrinsic motivation to lay their arms down.23 2.3 The role of stakeholder participation in ethnic conflict solutions Should the conflict resolution approach be used, one important factor that would have to be considered is the issue of stakeholders. As it has been suggested, the existing conflict goes beyond religion.24 What this proposition suggests is that there are several stakeholders that have to be identified if long lasting peace can reach the one time peaceful nation of CAR.25 Stakeholder participation has been explained to be a strategy that ensures that all factions and interest groups within the conflict, including minority groups and their minority rights are taken care of.26 What is more, by bringing all stakeholders together in a consultative brainstorming discussion, it is possible to ensure that the core issues that cause people to take to arms are identified and dealt with in a more peaceful manner.27 Conflict resolution has been explained to be a very complex process that takes a length of time to complete with the achievement of everlasting peace.28 Because of the complexities involved, it is likely that at the beginning of the consultative meeting with stakeholders, several blame games will be played among parties. This has however been advised not to be mistaken for the failure of the process. This is because as government continues to be patient in putting together grievances of parties, government is offered a better opportunity of knowing all that it is that accounts for the conflict.29 Like in all other concepts of finding solutions, it is virtually impossible to think about realistic interventions when a holistic approach that finds all causes is not done.30 Once stakeholders are involved in the conflict resolution process, it is expected that matters will not aggravate to untellable levels.31 3.0 Statement of Hypothesis H1: Focusing on the behavioral and social forms of reconciliation in the ethnic conflict in CAR is the best way out to finding long lasting solution to the civil war. 4.0 Variables 4.1 Types of Variables There are two general classifications of variables for the study. These are the dependent and independent variables. Based on the hypothesis given above, the independent and dependent variables of the study are given as follows. Independent Variable: Behavioral and Social Forms of Reconciliation Dependent Variable: Peace in CAR 4.2 Operationalization and Measurement of variables Due to the social characteristic nature of the hypothesis and the variables of the study, the operationalization and measurement of variables shall be done using the ordinal level of measurement. The rationale for selecting the ordinal level of measurement is because the variables of behavioral and social forms on one side, and peace can be rank-ordered. This rank-ordering would however be done in a more qualitative manner, given the fact that the entire study is a qualitative research that is being conducted with the exclusive use of secondary data. The eventual rank-ordering that is going to be given to the dependent variable of peace in CAR will either be temporary peace, long term peace, or lasting peace. Once the data collection outcomes justify a short term solution, the measurement of variable of peace will be said to be temporary. Should there be hope of factions surrounding their arms without a peace agreement, then the peace will be termed long term peace. Where factions both surrender and reach a documented peace agreement, then the variable can be measured to be long lasting peace. 5.0 Data Acquisition 5.1 Research Approach There were generally two major research approaches that the researcher could use. These are inductive and deductive research approaches. In this instance however, data acquisition was approached with the use of deductive research approach. With the deductive research approach, the researcher was mandated to develop a hypothesis, after which there would be rigorous testing and examination of the hypothesis to establish a theory. To effectively set a testable hypothesis, it was important that the researcher would review literature to acquaint with current and past developments with the CAR conflict. This was an important part of the data acquisition process because it was only where the right facts and figures were found about the current CAR conflict that the right hypothesis could be set. In deductive research approach of this nature, the hypothesis is very important, given the fact that without a good and workable hypothesis, data collection will be negatively affected. The negative effect of data collection comes because the researcher will be collecting data that are not well related to the issues at hand. Deductive research approaches of this nature have been praised for the fact that they make data acquisition systematic, chronological and coherent. Indeed, all these benefits were achieved for the current study. 5.2 Research Strategy The research strategy that a researcher uses influences the approach to data collection. This means that the techniques that are involved in the actual data acquisition process are dependent on the research strategy that the researcher uses. At the same time, selecting the research strategy must be done with a lot of caution, knowing that a wrong research strategy can negatively affect the outcome of the study. In this research paper, the selection of research strategy was based on several factors, including the nature of variables that the researcher was dealing with, which are the independent and dependent variables. It would be noted that these variables are of social phenomenal nature. Because of this, they are directly related to the cultural philosophies of people. Coupled with the fact that ethnographic research strategy considers the cultural dynamics of people and how their social variables affect the outcome of their actions, the researcher selected the ethnographic research strategy for the study. The ethnographic research strategy was however used in a qualitative manner where the use of secondary data and document analysis were employed. This means that the study did not comprise physical collection of raw data from the research ground through primary data collection. 5.3 Data Collection Process As part of the qualitative nature of the study, data collection took the form of document search, where particular emphasis was placed on ethnographic data or documents concerning the ethnic conflict in CAR. For an effective data collection process, the researcher employed the use of inclusion and exclusion criteria. With this system of data collection, a literature log was constructed. The literature log indicated a number of inclusion and exclusion factors that needed to be considered. First, there was the issue of credibility of authors and sources. To ensure this, the researcher used highly recognized academic databases where authors whose publications have been accepted for curriculum purposes were identified. Second, emphasis was placed on the period of public of sources. The researcher noted the need to ensure that documents and sources that were used could give updated versions of stories and events that were taking place in the CAR. Again, the literature log focused on the subject area of sources. This means that the fact that a particular source had contents about CAR did not mean that it was automatically included. Rather, the subject matter had to be on the ongoing conflict. After this, more attention was placed on individual themes of sources that related to the hypothesis, variables and research question set by the researcher. The first search resulted in a total of 98 sources, some of which were books, academic journals and websites. Through a skimming process, using the content tables of the printed sources, the number of sources was slashed by half, leaving 49 major sources that could be used for the study. The researcher however found this number of sources to be many, considering the fact that the researcher wanted to be very detailed with the analysis of the sources. This means that instead of having so many sources that would be reviewed very briefly, the researcher settled to have fewer sources that would be studied into detail. In effect, a scanning process using the abstracts of the sources was done to reduce the sources to the best 18. At the 18th mark, almost all the sources seemed equally relevant for the study. There was however the need to cut the number to 9 sources only. Because of this, three major themes were set. The themes touched on the exiting conflict solution efforts, outcome of conflict solution efforts, and expert advice on the way forward for the conflict. After setting the themes, three best sources were selected to represent each of the themes. Eventually, there were 8 academic journals and 1 website that formed the sources where data were acquired. The data acquired have been reported and analyzed in the next section of the research paper. 6.0 Reporting and analysis of data 6.1 Existing conflict solution efforts The data acquired showed the extent to which there has been a lot of efforts in intervening in the ongoing ethnic conflict in CAR.32 So far, the existing conflict solution efforts have been controlled by the AU and UN in an attempt to reducing the plight of victims. It has also been found that the UN has been more concerned about the need for violence to go down, thereby leading to a disarmament program, which has targeted the reduction of number of arms in the hands of civilians very drastically. One clear indication that the data acquired showed was that existing conflict solution efforts are now looking at a nationalistic approach to conflict resolution rather than focusing on the ethnic divide, which takes the form of religious conflict. Consequently, a number of national intervening approaches such as the election of a new president in the person of Samba-Panza have been supervised by the UN after the former president left the country.33 This means that existing conflict solution efforts do not take the behavioral and social forms of conflict resolution as recommended in the hypothesis of the paper. This is because both the AU and UN have been noted to have taken a position that CAR is in civil war that must be tackled in a top bottom approach by starting with national interventions then downwards to social and individual interventions.34 6.2 Outcome of conflict solution efforts The top-bottom approach that is currently in use has been seen by many as not producing the needed results for the country. This is because even though there have been AU and UN military activity within the country, which has executed this solution effort for the past two years, the conflict continues to exist. Data acquired showed that one of the first indications that have showed that the solution is not in a top-bottom approach is the outbreak of interreligious conflicts between Muslims and Christians in 2014 when the coming of a new president was expected to be a moment of peace for the country.35 It has been lamented that the major weakness with a top-bottom approach that refuses to be concerned with the behavioral and social forms of conflict resolution is the fact that the minority rights of people never become satisfied.36 In as such a situation also, people continue to feel aggrieved and tend to think that politicians and those at the top are only concerned about their personal gains and not the collective gain of the whole nation. A clear example of this has been exhibited with reports of people seeking to extinguish the seleka militants in the country due to unresolved ethnic sentiments that people have against this rebel group. The existing approach to solving the conflict can only be praised for an outcome that makes CAR acquire an international image of a state that is working around the clock to solve its in-house problem but in reality refuses to achieve this. 6.3 Expert Concern on the way forward The weaknesses of the existing approach led to more data to be acquired about how best to make CAR the country that it used to be years back.37 In this, it was noted that a grassroots approach, which is bottom-up in nature will be best for the country. This is because such forms of interventions open up for the use of conflict resolution mechanisms focusing on mediation and reconciliation among local people.38 Consequently, all stakeholders who are concerned in the conflict can be rightly identified from the grassroots level, including their leaders. Once ethnic conflicts breakout like this, people are hardly concerned about what their leaders say. Point has been justified by the fact that the coming of a new president has not been successful in resolving the issue. What is more, the new president has openly declared calls for peace and reconciliation to exist among ethnic communities in CAR.39 This means that the president supports the idea that reconciliation and for that matter a behavioral and social form of conflict resolution is the way forward for the country. As it is now, indigenes are only seeking individual vengeance on others they consider to be their enemies. This is clearly a socio-behavioral situation, which bureaucratic international relations efforts cannot solve.40 It is for this reason that as constantly as possible, the quest of ordinary people must be considered. As a way of approaching the behavioral and social forms of conflict resolution, mediators can make adequate use of agents of society such as religious bodies, schools and opinion leaders to ensure that the message of peace get to the grassroots people. 7.0 Summary and Concluding thoughts 7.1 Summary of Key Findings The data acquisition was useful in drawing three major findings for the study. In the first place, it was noted that leaders of CAR, AU and UN have not relented in efforts to bringing peace to CAR. This is because they have used a number of international relations interventions including the disarmament process in seeking peace. Next, the findings exposed the weaknesses of the intervention that is currently being used. Several examples were set to prove that the current approach has failed. The study showed that the current approach is a top-bottom approach, which is seeking to ensure that peace comes to the top hierarchy of governance and slowly distributed to the local people. As a result, the UN has supervised the election of a new president but this has failed to act as a solution to the problem. Furthermore, there was data collected to the effect that a new approach that takes peace from the grassroots to the top is preferred for the country. 7.2 Conclusion Based on the findings of the study, there are a number of conclusions that can be made. In the first place, it can be concluded that the hypothesis of the study has been justified in the sense that a behavioral and social form of conflict resolution has been recommended in literature, including the words of the new president, who has called for interreligious peace. Again, it can be concluded that the notion that the current conflict is more of a civil war than an ethnic conflict must be rejected. This is because as long as that opinion is harbored, chances that stakeholders will focus on the collective effort of stakeholders at the grassroots are unlikely. Meanwhile, there continues to be reports of religious outbreak of violence on a constant basis, which is clearly an indication of ethnic conflict in CAR. This is because in CAR, there is a transcending demography that makes most people align themselves to either the Islamic religion or Christian religion based on their ethnic background. In effect, the research paper has showed that it is indeed possible to achieve everlasting peace in CAR, provided there will be a change in intervention and strategy. Works Cited Bercovith, Jacob and Karl Jnr Derouen. "Mediation in Internationalized Ethnic Conflicts: Assessing the Determinants of a Successful Process." Armed Forces & Society 30.2 (2004): 148-167. Burchard, Stephane. "The Central African Conflict is about Far More than Religion." February 2014. Think Africa Press. 27 March 2014 . Cuhadar, Esra and Bruce Dayton. "The Social Psychology of Identity and Inter-group Conflict." International Studies Perspectives 12.3 (2011): 274-283. Diamonde, Ruby. "Central African Republic." New Internationalist 468 (2013): 51. Katz, Andrew. "Africas Unholy War." Time 36.1 (2014): 35. Kemptin, Reuter Tna. "Including Minority Rights in Peace Agreements: A Benefit or Obstacle to Peace Processes after Ethnic Conflicts?" International Journal on Minority & Group Rights 19.4 (2012): 360-391. Khmelko, Irina and Krista Wiegand. "Governmnet Repressionn in Ethnic Conflict: Insitutional Incentives and Cultural Legacy." International Journa on World Peace 27.2 (2010): 9-32. McFarland, Richard. "The Importance of Considering the Behavioral Form of Reconciliation in Studies of Conflict Resolution." International Journal of Primatology 34.1 (2013): 16-27. Waugh, Louisa. "Now the presidents gone, will the killing stop?" New Statesman 143.2 (2014): 13-14. 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