Civil Society and Peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Opportunities, Challenges and Recommendations

Abstract

This chapter investigates the extent to which civil society can be more productive in the context of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); it consists of a cross-sectional empirical case study that largely relies upon findings that originate from secondary data (reviewed literature) and primary data (focus group discussions and surveys) that were conducted at the Catholic University of Goma-La Sapientia in June 2019, in North Kivu Province (DRC). The sample was comprised of graduate and postgraduate students, academics, members of civil society organisations and security services. Training of civil society’s actors and leaders was singled out as the most important factor that could enhance civil society’s effectiveness: it represents the highest mean of 1.3429. Finally, a four-layer strategy emerged as the way to strengthen civil society’s capacity to be more responsive and high-yielding: this starts with training civil society’s leaders and actors, integrating peacebuilding programs at all levels of educational courses, develo** and increasing partnership between local and international civil society actors, and prioritising a contextualised civil society’s modus operandi in the DRC.

Jean Chrysostome K. Kiyala is a Senior Lecturer, International Centre of Violence, Durban University of Technology, South Africa; Associate Professor and visiting lecturer the University of Bandundu, Catholic University of Bukavu and Evangelical University in Africa based in Bukavu (DR Congo).

Appendices

Appendix 10.1: Challenges

•Promoting freedom of expression	•Disdain towards civil society
•To facilitate the search for consensus in the process of national decision-making	•The politicization of civil society •Violence carried out by unknown attackers on activists
•Police brutalities	•Killing of activists without justice
•Facilitating conditions for free, democratic, and transparent elections •Vulnerability of civil rights activists •Complicity of the population in securing civil society •Autonomy of civil society to facilitate peace dialogues	•Difficulties in fighting the hypocrisy of the political elites •Lack of protective measures to secure CSOs’ actors and leaders •lack of resources in the delivery of services •Lack of cooperation by rival political parties •Nepotism and sentimentalism
•Improving the functioning of the judiciary	•The State's rejection of certain civil society demands
•Improving governance system •Lack of power to protect citizens	•Socialization and building social capital
•Creating conditions for freedom of expression	•Tackling the clash over customary and land laws
•Creating the conditions for the peaceful resolution of electoral disputes	•Lack of a spirit of consultation among civil society organizations for actions of common interest
•Facilitating civic engagement without confrontation and disruption of public order •Presence of insecurity •Incapacity to deal with increasing ongoing insecurity •Poor job management	•Lack of healthy relations among mutual associations •Neglect by the authorities in the face of brutal treatment of CSO actors •Lack of an appropriate framework for arbitration of political disputes •Distrust in the ethnic, cultural, and religious groups of the CSO groups
•To be the voice of the people in making decisions that have a national reach	•Easing of intergroup, intercommunity, inter-ethnic social cohesion
•Civil society's dependence on politicians who may exert their influence, which impedes the neutrality of civil society	•Tribalism and gender discrimination •Non-existent legal protective framework to ensure safety of human rights and civil rights activists
•Absence of the principle of meritocracy among civil society actors •Impotence to enforce the principles of political alternation •Camouflaged agenda of some members of civil society	•Lack of an adequate framework for exchange between communities •Lack of an appropriate framework for mediation •Facilitation and mediation between rival political groups •Land disputes
•Repealing laws that favor only small groups	•Acceptance of others as viable players in civil society
•Ethical failure of civil society representatives	•Lack of conviviality among communities
•Politicization of civil society •Lack of training equipment on individual freedoms	•Non-applicability of pre-established laws •Lack of intergroup social cohesion

Appendix 10.2: Civil Society’s Opportunities

•Monitoring peace and easing disputes in the context of increasing political conflicts and military confrontations, and promoting interaction among citizens’ movements
•Mobilizing the resources available for development and ending recurring armed conflicts
•Opportunity for research on conflicts related to ethnicity and land control
•Fighting the mercantile spirit of economic operators that exploit children and fuel mineral resources conflicts
•Monitoring and implementation of peace agreements in inter-community and identity conflicts
•Redress of social inequalities and tackling failures of service delivery and ongoing protests
•Fighting unequal access to education, promotion of human rights and gender equality
•Safeguarding democracy and peace in the DRC
•Fighting against mismanagement or misuse of natural resources in organizations
•Militating for the independence of civil society, its neutrality, and cooperation among NGOs and citizens’ movements

Appendix 10.3: Suggested Ways to Overcome Identified Challenges

Collective action

Individual/personal commitment to conflict resolution and peace management

•Change of mentality and political will •Respect for the principles of democracy •Dependence on legal institutions •Training and informing citizens in important areas •Restriction of civil society for consideration in the face of citizens •Train the population on the missions and functions of civil society •Raising awareness and motivating people to participate in an integral way for a new image of civil society •Highlight the importance of each group in the process of building worthy values •Instill a spirit of cooperation and exchange between communities, •The reinvention of civil society acceptance •The appropriation of this structure (civil society) by all segments and categories of population •There has to be awareness; thus, the awareness by each group of civil society in the context of peacebuilding. •It is necessary to proceed by the unification of civil society (collaboration, coordination, and order in the actions of civil society) •Good organization and specific goals •Respect for legal texts

•Multiply training and seminars on conflict resolution •Awareness and consultation of all social strata for inclusive participation; reinvention of the image of civil society •Everyone's commitment to peacebuilding and conflict resolution •There is a need to intensify awareness and awareness campaigns on the promotion of peace •Introduce courses on peace education in the national education curriculum giving them a special importance (i.e., giving a high weight) •Strong awareness and awareness of all •Providing fair justice •Raising awareness among the members here •Awareness of the members here ?? •Creating a sense of listening •Everyone's commitment to peacebuilding and conflict resolution •Good governance and respect for human rights •Financial independence of civil society •Setting up a communication cell within civil society •Security, understanding between political groups •Educating members of civil society through seminars, training, and the like