Dangerous Tales: Dominant Narratives on the Congo and their Unintended Consequences - Autesserre (2012) - The Legitimacy of Simple Narratives and their Effects and Consequence on the International and Local Plan

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[...] This narrative influenced international actions: projects to reform the mining sector and help prevent the conflict were put up. Sexual violence has also been narrated as a consequence of illegal exploitation of resources: rape and sexual torture of women and girls. This narrative dominated the Congolese discourse after the 2002 Human Rights watch report. Many projects were also initiated to find solutions to this problem. However, a parallel narrative initiated by Congolese intellectuals and interveners tried to emerge, challenging the international focus, and highlighting other form of torture, and sexual abuse toward males. [...]

[...] Therefore, it is interesting to question the legitimacy of these simple narratives and their effects and consequence on the international and local plan. The three narratives mentioned above have driven international actions, and oriented international policies occulting the real problem and finding appropriate solution such as esolving land conflict, promoting inter-community reconciliation, jump-starting economic development, ensuring that state authorities respect human rights, and fighting corruption. Also, these narratives have worsened the actual solution and exacerbated the problems , with internal armed forces aiming to controlee the main cause of violence: resources exploitations, led to disproportionate control over these resources. [...]

[...] Dangerous Tales: Dominant Narratives on the Congo and their Unintended Consequences - Autesserre (2012) - The Legitimacy of Simple Narratives and their Effects and Consequence on the International and Local Plan African Affairs Advance Access published February DANGEROUS TALES: DOMINANT NARRATIVES ON THE CONGO AND THEIR UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES SÉVERINE AUTESSERRE* The Democratic Republic of Congo, the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa has always been the gravity point of political conflicts and insecurities. The DR of Congo claimed its independence from Belgium in 1960, however, the country has been subject to many secessionist movements since then, and political fluctuations. [...]

[...] This article offers a new way of thinking, defying the imposed narrative. These narratives not only shaped Congo's social perception, but also politics in general for instance with 2016 US election, with the Australia and the Children Overboard affair. The militias and internal armed groups remain quite absent in Autesserre's approach. Their narratives too are being widespread in the country, building up larger groups each day, provoking a certain resistance to peace. How can security be built up in a state within a state ? [...]

[...] Severine Autesserre in her publication entitled "Dangerous Tales : Dominant narratives on the Congo and their unintended consequences" tries to analyze the country's situation in light of the narrative transmitted there, and explain how these narratives have unintended consequences on the ground. The author highlights first the situation of the DR of Congo, and the multiple crises it faces highlighting the reasons of the constant deterioration of the situation. Internal factors such as domestic and regional leaders, grassroots antagonism over land and power, and corruption but also external factor such as international efforts at build peace and democracy can be examples of the factors of deterioration. [...]