This book contends that the search for stability and peace remains central to the political environment within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Despite some positive political and economic progress observed in the Central African Region and the DRC in particular, the future of the region remains uncertain. Due to many unresolved issues, including the multidimensional manifestations of humanitarian crises, the region is fragile, with the potential for a relapse into violent conflict. Moreover, the DRC’s humanitarian crises have yet to be effectively addressed as both consequences and promoters of insecurity and violence. Based on the “humanitarian security development” paradigm as an inclusive operational framework, this book articulates the trend of peace recovery in the DRC as contingent upon issues of security and the refugee/internally displaced population crisis. It claims and demonstrates that effective solutions must incorporate various aspects – i.e., the consideration of pre-colonial security dynamics, the place and role of identity within the humanitarian discourse/strategies, the determinants of transitional public security (TPS), and the various dynamics regarding the return and re/integration processes – into a single operational framework. This framework must be accompanied by continued efforts to build strong local institutions as a critical component to the sustainability of operations. This combination of sociological and political approaches in the areas of humanitarian recovery and security dynamics departs from previous analyses and attempts made in the region, which were based on and informed by national political dynamics such as the pursuit of peace agreements or power-sharing as pre-conditions (in some instances as the ultimate pre-condition) for the manifestation of peace. However, such politics and strategies have failed to respond to the cries of those people living in camps and fragile communities. Effective solutions must therefore apply multidimensional and multi-layered approaches to security and humanitarian recovery. Furthermore, all approaches to security and humanitarian action during crises should be informed by the experiences and voices of the victims who are most directly affected and who are the primary beneficiaries of these multidimensional international efforts.  weiterlesen