A critical analysis of counter-exclusion activities in the Great Lakes Region focusing on the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Abstract

The study is an analysis of counter-exclusion activities in the Great Lakes Region focusing on North and South Kivu Provinces of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. There has been recurrence of armed conflicts in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo because of exclusion of some members of the community. Recurrence of armed conflicts has been mainly based the ethnic divide, land allocation and the land tenure system, resources and resource allocation, youth unemployment, limited or lack of government authority in North and South Kivu and also on the relationship between Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and its neighbours. The study employed the snowball non-probability sampling technique. The study found that the ethnic divide keeps growing as the indigenous Congolese accuse the migrants of taking over resources. It is reported that the foreigners control about 90% of all fertile land in. The population of the also keeps increasing with reports that Rwanda government officials are involved in marrying off Tutsi women to Congolese Hutu and Tutsi men. Resources are at the centre of the recurrence of armed conflicts as they used to finance the armed conflicts. The land tenure system is chaotic as one piece of land may be claimed by up to three people but corruption has the final say, as the one with the highest amount of money usually gets access. Exclusion and the presence of arms of war could all end if there was effective, efficient and comprehensive government authority in North and South Kivu in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.