Causes of conflicts and alternatives

BACKGROUND OF THE WORK

The problem of political instability in sub Saharan Africa is rises from several decades even after many centuries, in the continent went through transition from colonialism to independence and after or post independence. The term political instability in Africa has had some difficult moment during the last fifty years. to date almost every country in sub-Saharan is still haunted by historical injustices and oppressive structure that were bequeathed to the post colonial leadership. This aspect which informs the weak institution of the state flawed the legislative systems and constant struggle for political power to the detriment of the well being of many nations which could have moved on a path of development as part of modern societies. Political instability of Africa may owe much of its causes to internal and external factors, however the interpenetration of internal and external factors especially geo- political and economic interest of the international community constantly play a significance role in undermining the very process and the institution that are expected to nature democracy and to instill a sense of stability for societal development ( Ong’ayo, 2008).  Political instability in sub Saharan Africa has resulted from colonial legacy under the superimposition of state boundaries in existing lineage and clan groups, city, state kingdom and empires ( Gapta, 1990).

DEFINITION OF THE KEY TERM

According to Gapta,(1990) political instability  is described as a condition of the country where a government  has been  toppled or where basic function al pre requisite for social order control and maintenance  are unstable and periodically disrupted. Or is a complex and multidimensional term with various conceptualization and interpretations.

MAIN BODY

The causes of political instability are based on three major causes which are political, social and economic causes , but each major cause has many factor within that cause political instability in sub- Saharan Africa. The following are the causes of political instability in Africa;

Unrealistic of expectation placed on state institution; this sometime known as misplaced humanitarian assistance. there are increase danger that  much needed humanitarian assistance can cause wars to be identified  or prolonged  where wars are fought  through factional or proxy forces there is little recognition or respect for international humanitarian  assistance as a means of conferring greater political legitimacy on themselves  and control over the population ( Cabinet sub- committee, 2001). Relief supply may also provide the focus on increasing tension and fighting between groups that received supplies and their neighbors as was the case in South Sudan.  And similar it was in Somalia in 1995 and Zaire in 1996 demonstrated the problems that occur when humanitarian assistance becomes the key element in the resources starved environment and therefore subject to predatory behavior. 

The abuse of ethnicity; political leaders and belligerents in Africa have made increasing use of ethnic hatred. Such abuse prolongs conflict, create long term division that reduce the effectiveness of peace building efforts (Cabinet sub- committee, 2001).also  the ethnics hatres  among the people hate each other will result to instability among the country for example, the Hutu and Tutsi caused killings in Rwanda in 1990’s ( Tutu,2004). The differences  and  tension  causes by colonial past, the division of the groups among states during the partition of Africa was based on these ethnic groups from the colonial period and continue as the colonial legacy (htt://web.ccsu. edu/ faculty/kyem/GEOG466…..). A good example is the war in DRC provides a really example of the abuse of ethnicity. Element of the DRC government have openly provoked ethnic tensions in the Kivus with the tension of destabilizing areas under Rwandan influence. Equally element of Ugandan armed forces have exploited ethnic differences in order to benefit commercially from the conflicts.

Economic decline and economic shock; Continuous economic decline plays a major part in state collapse and conflict.  Economic shock is a more direct and potent cause. This can take various forms ranging from natural catastrophe to Sudan large shift in term of trade. The Ethiopia famine of 1974 was the main factor in the overthrow of Haileselasse’s government and the violence that ensued. Famine can cause mass displacement increasing pressure on scarce resources other economic shocks have similar effects for example the sudden shift in terms of the trade in Nigeria in 1992/3 halved Nigeria income introduced hyperinflation and led to violence and overthrow of the governments.

Racial and discriminatory policies; the discriminatory policies I some states began with European states colonization during which education and welfare programs favored some ethnic groups and placed them above other groups within the country( Gapta, 1990). Take an example Tutsis and Hutus, Yoruba in Southern and Hausas in the North, groups in southern and Northern N Nigeria.  

Border disputes between and within countries; many border disputes in Africa have their origins from European colonization particularly the Berlin conference, where African countries arbitrary demarcated without regard to even family ties. For examples Nigeria and Cameroon, Morocco and Spanish Sahara, Ghana and Togo, Tanzania and Uganda during Amis rule.

Triple heritage of religion; these also known as religious differences. According to Gapta,(1990). The conflict among Muslims and Christians, tradition and modern culture such as in Sudan where the Northern part of the country is culturally Arabic and Islamic, which the Southern part has mostly African culture. As colonial administrators, the British established a special status for Sudan three Southern provinces.  Education and services were controlled by Christian’s missionaries and one fourth of all Southerners were converted to Christian. This root of the conflict as each part fights fending their culture.

In adequate and in appropriate mediation; According to Cabinet Sub- Committee,(2001) external mediation is frequently offered in times of conflicts, yet the past decade has seen few obvious success while the option for peaceful resolution of conflict must always be available. Poor mediation processes can make the situation worse and prolong conflict by giving combats time to rearm and reorganize as has happened in the DRC and A Angola. 

Uneven distribution of natural resources wealth; Africa accommodates two types of resources based conflict. Wars of resources scarcity and wars of abundance. The most common conflicts of scarcity relate to the control of grazing and water rights for nomadic people countries whose economies are dependent on natural resources such as oils and mineral face very high risk of conflict. in these wars of abundance, group compete for control of these resources which become “ prize” for controlling the state  and can lead to coups as  in Sierra Leone and the   DRC un fair  exploitation of resources can also  attract external intervention. The role the private sector is critical in wars of abundance, as belligerents rely on its capacity to exploit and commercialize the resources by the individual who had been got colonial education.

Corruption; corruption has over the years been shown to be one of the biggest factors responsible for political instability, in many countries all over the world. The more corrupt a country is the higher the likelihood of that country becoming unstable (Rodney, 1981).

Mass unemployment, lack of education, population pressure and poverty; the Sub- Saharan countries with high levels of unemployment among young men and where male educational levels are low face a fair higher risk of conflict. Throughout Africa factional conflict has drawn a pool of marginalize or socially exceeded young men. Increasing insecurity of land tenure in Rwanda and the high levels of rural unemployment provide a ready group of participants in the genocide.  The conflict in Liberia was fought by socially marginalized young men (Cabinet Committee, 2001).  Mass un employment and poverty, when majority of people in a country are impoverished and cannot find jobs to do then they went their anger on the government and hence result to political instability (Rodney, 1981).

One part state and dictatorships; according to Gapta, (1990) in many other Africa states, there is a tendency for democratically elected governments to monopolize political power by creating one party state to stiff opposition parties. This often leads to a police state with the adoption of socialist ideologies. for example, many of the leaders who led African countries into independence created one part state system like, Tanzania under Nyerere, 1964 to 1985, Uganda under Melton Obote, Zambia under Kaunda.