The United Nations Policy On The Democratic Republic Of The Congo

The United Nations Policy on the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Jose Fuentes

Professor Mariam

PSCI-301

California State University, San Bernardino

Introduction:

The United Nations (UN) was established at the end of World War II, in order to promote co-operation between nations. The UN replaced the failed and ineffective League of Nations; its goal was to prevent future conflicts. In the beginning, the Cold War was the main international topic so the United Nations spent most of its attention on preventing the United States and the Soviet Union from entering into a major war. In the after math of the Cold War many countries gained their independence, as states in Africa were being decolonized there was hostility between ethnic populations. The UN has been involved in sixty peace operation throughout the world since its inception. Two of the peace missions were launched in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The United Nations Organization in the Congo (ONUC) during the Cold War, and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) in the early 2000’s with it currently still ongoing.

The Democratic Republic of the Condo has been experiencing violence and instability all throughout its young history due to political and ethnic differences. Unrest has pegged DRC for years, the UN therefore intervenes to try to establish peace, and stability in an area that has experienced violence throughout the years. After two long wars in the past decade, the United Nations reports that about 3.8 million deaths have been caused by the wars, with 1,000 more deaths a day in direct relation to the interior conflicts. Many more have been displaced, and others have looked for ...

... middle of paper ...

...ce that their role is more of policing the violence rather than stopping it. They have no offensive strategy, and only attack when in self-defense. Not until 2013, the UN approved some type of offensive strategy to combat the rebels in DRC. The initial reports have showed that there was progressed made in disarming the M23 rebels. The UN needs to become more offensive, and take the battle to the rebels. The UN needs to start using drones to weaken rebel leaderships. There are some concern against a more offensive approach, for instance it will endanger more lives, and this would lead to countries being hesitant in supplying troops. However, there are lager benefits in ending the violence with an aggressive force, rather than prolonging the violence even further. The peacekeepers have not been enough to stop or even shift the violence in DRC, more needs to be done.