Severine Autesserre: To solve mass violence, look to locals

Prevodilac: Ivana Krivokuća Lektor: Mile Živković

I want to speak about a forgotten conflict.

Želim da govorim o zaboravljenom konfliktu.

It's a conflict that rarely hits the headlines.

To je konflikt koji retko dospeva u vesti.

It happens right here, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Dešava se upravo ovde, u Demokratskoj Republici Kongo.

Now, most people outside of Africa don't know much about the war in Congo,

Većina ljudi van Afrike ne zna puno o ratu u Kongu,

so let me give you a couple of key facts.

pa dozvolite da vam iznesem nekoliko ključnih podataka.

The Congolese conflict is the deadliest conflict since World War II.

Konflikt u Kongu je najsmrtonosniji konflikt

od Drugog svetskog rata.

It has caused almost four million deaths.

Prouzrokovao je skoro četiri miliona smrtnih slučajeva.

It has destabilized most of Central Africa for the past 18 years.

Destabilizovao je veći deo centralne Afrike

tokom poslednjih 18 godina.

It is the largest ongoing humanitarian crisis in the world.

To je najveća tekuća humanitarna kriza na svetu.

That's why I first went to Congo in 2001.

Zato sam i otišla u Kongo prvi put 2001. godine.

I was a young humanitarian aid worker, and I met this woman who was my age.

Bila sam mladi humanitarni radnik

i srela sam ženu koja je bila mojih godina.

She was called Isabelle.

Zvala se Izabel.

Local militias had attacked Isabelle's village.

Lokalna policija je napala Izabelino selo.

They had killed many men, raped many women.

Ubili su mnogo muškaraca, silovali mnogo žena.

They had looted everything.

Sve su opljačkali.

And then they wanted to take Isabelle,

A zatim su želeli da odvedu Izabel,

but her husband stepped in,

ali je njen muž uskočio,

and he said, "No, please don't take Isabelle.

i rekao je: "Ne, molim vas, ne uzimajte Izabel.

Take me instead."

Uzmite mene umesto nje."

So he had gone to the forest with the militias,

Tako je on otišao u šumu sa policijom,

and Isabelle had never seen him again.

i Izabel ga nikada više nije videla.

Well, it's because of people like Isabelle and her husband

Zbog ljudi kao što su Izabela i njen muž

that I have devoted my career to studying this war

posvetila sam svoju karijeru izučavanju ovog rata

that we know so little about.

o kome tako malo znamo.

Although there is one story about Congo that you may have heard.

Mada postoji jedna priča o Kongu koju ste možda čuli.

It's a story about minerals and rape.

To je priča o mineralima i silovanju.

Policy statements and media reports

Izjave policije i izveštaji medija

both usually focus on a primary cause of violence in Congo --

se obično fokusiraju na primarni uzrok nasilja u Kongu -

the illegal exploitation and trafficking of natural resources --

ilegalno iskorišćavanje i trgovina prirodnim resursima -

and on a main consequence --

i na glavnu posledicu -

sexual abuse of women and girls as a weapon of war.

seksualno zlostavljanje žena i devojčica kao oružje rata.

So, not that these two issues aren't important and tragic. They are.

Nije da ta dva problema nisu važna i tragična. Oni to jesu.

But today I want to tell you a different story.

Ali danas želim da vam ispričam drugačiju priču.

I want to tell you a story that emphasizes a core cause

Želim da vam ispričam priču koja naglašava suštinski uzrok

of the ongoing conflict.

tekućeg konflikta.

Violence in Congo is in large part driven by local bottom-up conflicts

Nasiljem u Kongu velikim delom upravljaju lokalni konflikti odozdo

that international peace efforts have failed to help address.

kojima međunarodna mirovna nastojanja nisu uspela da pomognu.

The story starts from the fact that not only is Congo notable

Priča počinje od činjenice da ne samo da se Kongo ističe

for being the world's worst ongoing humanitarian crisis,

kao najgora svetska tekuća humanitarna kriza,

but it is also home to some of the largest

već je takođe i dom nekih od najvećih

international peacebuilding efforts in the world.

međunarodnih nastojanja za izgradnju mira na svetu.

Congo hosts the largest

Kongo je domaćin najveće

and most expensive United Nations peacekeeping mission in the world.

i najskuplje mirovne misije Ujedinjenih Nacija na svetu.

It was also the site of the first European-led peacekeeping mission,

Takođe je bio mesto gde se odvijala prva evropska mirovna misija,

and for its first cases ever,

i za njene prve slučajeve,

the International Criminal Court chose to prosecute Congolese warlords.

Međunarodni kriminalni sud je odlučio da goni ratne diktatore Konga.

In 2006, when Congo held the first free national elections in its history,

2006. godine, kada je Kongo održao prve slobodne narodne izbore u svojoj istoriji,

many observers thought that an end to violence in the region had finally come.

mnogi posmatrači su mislili da je konačno došao kraj nasilju u regionu.

The international community lauded the successful organization of these elections

Međunarodna zajednica je hvalila uspešnu organizaciju ovih izbora

as finally an example of successful international intervention

kao konačni primer uspešne međunarodne intervencije

in a failed state.

u neuspešnoj državi.

But the eastern provinces

Ali istočne provincije

have continued to face massive population displacements

su nastavile da se suočavaju sa masivnim raseljavanjem stanovništva

and horrific human rights violations.

i užasnim narušavanjem ljudskih prava.

Shortly before I went back there last summer,

Malo pre nego što sam se vratila tamo prošlog leta,

there was a horrible massacre in the province of South Kivu.

desio se užasni masakr u provinciji Južni Kivu.

Thirty-three people were killed.

Tridesettroje ljudi je ubijeno.

They were mostly women and children,

To su uglavnom bile žene i deca,

and many of them were hacked to death.

i mnogi od njih su bili iskasapljeni.

During the past eight years,

Tokom proteklih osam godina,

fighting in the eastern provinces has regularly reignited

borbe u istočnim provincijama su redovno raspirivale

full-scale civil and international war.

bezrezervan građanski i međunarodni rat.

So basically, every time we feel that we are on the brink of peace,

Tako da u suštini, svaki put kad pomislimo da smo nadomak mira,

the conflict explodes again.

konflikt ponovo eksplodira.

Why?

Zašto?

Why have the massive international efforts

Zašto snažna međunarodna delovanja

failed to help Congo achieve lasting peace and security?

nisu uspela da pomognu Kongu da postigne trajni mir i sigurnost?

Well, my answer to this question revolves around two central observations.

Pa, moj odgovor na ovo pitanje se vrti oko dva centralna zapažanja.

First, one of the main reasons for the continuation of violence in Congo

Prvo, jedan od glavnih razloga za nastavak nasilja u Kongu

is fundamentally local --

je u osnovi lokalni -

and when I say local,

a kada kažem lokalni,

I really mean at the level of the individual, the family,

u stvari mislim na nivou pojedinca, porodice,

the clan, the municipality, the community, the district,

klana, opštine, zajednice, okruga,

sometimes the ethnic group.

ponekad etničke grupe.

For instance, you remember the story of Isabelle that I told you.

Na primer, sećate se priče koju sam vam ispričala o Izabeli.

Well, the reason why militias had attacked Isabelle's village

Pa, razlog zbog kojeg je policija napala Izabelino selo

was because they wanted to take the land

jeste zato što su hteli da oduzmu zemlju

that the villagers needed to cultivate food and to survive.

koja je seljanima potrebna da bi uzgajali hranu i preživeli.

The second central observation is that international peace efforts

Drugo centralno zapažanje je da međunarodna mirovna delovanja

have failed to help address local conflicts

nisu uspela da pomognu u obuzdavanju lokalnih konflikata

because of the presence of a dominant peacebuilding culture.

zbog prisustva dominantne kulture izgradnje mira.

So what I mean is that

Ono što mislim pod tim je da

Western and African diplomats,

zapadnjačke i afričke diplomate,

United Nations peacekeepers, donors,

mirotvorci Ujedinjenih nacija, donatori,

the staff of most nongovernmental organizations

zaposleni u većini nevladinih organizacija

that work with the resolution of conflict,

koje rade na razrešavanju konflikata,

they all share a specific way of seeing the world.

svi oni dele specifičan način sagledavanja sveta.

And I was one of these people, and I shared this culture,

Ja sam bila jedna od ovih ljudi, i delila sam tu kulturu,

so I know all too well how powerful it is.

tako da dobro znam koliko je moćna.

Throughout the world, and throughout conflict zones,

Širom sveta, i širom konfliktnih zona,

this common culture shapes the intervener's understanding

ova rasprostranjena kultura oblikuje razumevanje onog ko interveniše

of the causes of violence

u vezi sa uzrocima nasilja

as something that is primarily located in the national and international spheres.

kao nešto što se primarno nalazi u narodnim i međunarodnim sferama.

It shapes our understanding of the path toward peace

Oblikuje naše razumevanje puta ka miru

as something again that requires top-down intervention

kao nešto što zahteva intervenciju odozgo

to address national and international tensions.

radi obračunavanja sa narodnim i međunarodnim tenzijama.

And it shapes our understanding of the roles of foreign actors

I oblikuje naše razumevanje uloga stranih aktera

as engaging in national and international peace processes.

kao aktivnim u narodnim i međunarodnim mirovnim procesima.

Even more importantly, this common culture

Još važnije, ova rasprostranjena kultura

enables international peacebuilders to ignore the micro-level tensions

omogućava međunarodnim mirotvorcima da ignorišu tenzije na mikro nivou

that often jeopardize the macro-level settlements.

koje često ugrožavaju dogovore na makro nivou.

So for instance, in Congo,

Tako na primer, u Kongu,

because of how they are socialized and trained,

zbog načina na koji su socijalizovani i obučeni,

United Nations officials, donors, diplomats,

zvaničnici Ujedinjenih nacija, donatori, diplomate,

the staff of most nongovernmental organizations,

radnici iz većine nevladinih organizacija,

they interpret continued fighting and massacres as a top-down problem.

tumače produžene borbe i masakre kao problem odozgo nadole.

To them, the violence they see

Za njih, nasilje koje vide

is the consequence of tensions between President Kabila

je posledica tenzija između predsednika Kabile

and various national opponents,

i raznih nacionalnih protivnika,

and tensions between Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

i tenzija između Konga, Ruande i Ugande.

In addition, these international peacebuilders view local conflicts

Pored toga, ovi međunarodni mirotvorci sagledavaju lokalne konflikte

as simply the result of national and international tensions,

prosto kao rezultat narodnih i međunarodnih tenzije,

insufficient state authority,

nedovoljnog autoriteta države,

and what they call the Congolese people's so-called inherent penchant for violence.

i onoga što nazivaju takozvanom

prirodnom sklonošću naroda Konga ka nasilju.

The dominant culture also constructs intervention

Dominantna kultura takođe gradi intervenciju

at the national and international levels

na narodnim i međunarodnim nivoima

as the only natural and legitimate task for United Nations staffers and diplomats.

kao jedini prirodni i legitimni zadatak za članove Ujedinjenih nacija i diplomate.

And it elevates the organization of general elections,

I to izdiže organizaciju opštih izbora,

which is now a sort of cure-all,

koja je sada neka vrsta univerzalnog rešenja,

as the most crucial state reconstruction mechanism

kao najvažniji mehanizam rekonstrukcije države

over more effective state-building approaches.

iznad efektivnijih pristupa izgradnji države.

And that happens not only in Congo but also in many other conflict zones.

I to se dešava ne samo u Kongu već i u mnogim drugim konfliktnim zonama.

But let's dig deeper,

Ali hajde da proniknemo dublje,

into the other main sources of violence.

u druge glavne izvore nasilja.

In Congo, continuing violence

U Kongu, produženo nasilje

is motivated not only by the national and international causes

je motivisano ne samo narodnim i međunarodnim uzrocima

but also by longstanding bottom-up agendas

već i dugogodišnjim programima odozdo nagore

whose main instigators are villagers, traditional chiefs,

čiji glavni podstrekači su seljani, tradicionalni čelnici,

community chiefs or ethnic leaders.

šefovi zajednice ili etničke vođe.

Many conflicts revolve around political, social and economic stakes

Mnogi konflikti se vrte oko političkih, društvenih i ekonomskih uloga

that are distinctively local.

koje su izrazito lokalne.

For instance, there is a lot of competition

Na primer, postoji mnogo nadmetanja

at the village or district level

na nivou sela ili okruga

over who can be chief of village or chief of territory

oko toga ko može biti šef sela ili šef teritorije

according to traditional law,

prema tradicionalnom zakonu,

and who can control the distribution of land

i ko može kontrolisati raspodelu zemlje

and the exploitation of local mining sites.

i eksploataciju lokalnih rudnika.

This competition often results in localized fighting,

Ovo nadmetanje često ima za posledicu lokalizovanu borbu,

for instance in one village or territory,

na primer u jednom selu ili teritoriji,

and quite frequently, it escalates into generalized fighting,

i prilično često, eskalira u opštu borbu,

so across a whole province,

kroz celu oblast,

and even at times into neighboring countries.

čak ponekad i na susedne zemlje.

Take the conflict between Congolese of Rwandan descent

Uzmite konflikt između naslednika Konga i Ruande

and the so-called indigenous communities of the Kivus.

i takozvanih starosedelačkih zajednica Kivua.

This conflict started in the 1930s during Belgian colonization,

Ovaj konflikt je započet 1930-ih godina za vreme belgijskog kolonizovanja,

when both communities competed over access to land and to local power.

kada su se obe zajednice nadmetale oko pristupa zemlji i lokalnoj moći.

Then, in 1960, after Congolese independence,

Zatim, 1960. godine, nakon nezavisnosti Konga,

it escalated because each camp tried to align with national politicians,

to je eskaliralo

jer je svaki tabor pokušao da se poveže sa narodnim političarima,

but still to advance their local agendas.

ali još uvek da bi unapredili svoje lokalne programe.

And then, at the time of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda,

A zatim, u vreme genocida u Ruandi 1994. godine,

these local actors allied with Congolese and Rwandan armed groups,

ovi lokalni akteri su se udružili sa naoružanim grupama Konga i Ruande,

but still to advance their local agendas in the provinces of the Kivus.

ali još uvek da bi unapredili svoje lokalne programe u oblasti Kivua.

And since then, these local disputes over land and local power

I od tada, ovi lokalni sporovi oko zemlje i lokalne moći

have fueled violence,

su podstakli nasilje,

and they have regularly jeopardized

i redovno su ugrožavali

the national and international settlements.

narodne i međunarodne dogovore.

So we can wonder why in these circumstances

Možemo se zapitati zašto u ovim okolnostima

the international peacebuilders have failed to help implement

međunarodni mirotvorci nisu uspeli da pomognu u primeni

local peacebuilding programs.

lokalnih programa za izradnju mira.

And the answer is that international interveners

A odgovor je da međunarodni posrednici

deem the resolution of grassroots conflict

smatraju rešavanje provincijskih konflikata

an unimportant, unfamiliar, and illegitimate task.

nevažnim, nepoznatim i bespravnim zadatkom.

The very idea of becoming involved at the local level clashes fundamentally

Sama ideja o uplitanju na lokalnom nivou suštinski se sukobljava

with existing cultural norms,

sa postojećim kulturnim normama,

and it threatens key organizational interests.

i preti ključnim interesima organizacije.

For instance, the very identity of the United Nations

Na primer, sam identitet Ujedinjenih nacija

as this macro-level diplomatic organization

kao diplomatske organizacije na makro nivou

would be upended if it were to refocus on local conflicts.

bio bi srušen kada bi se preusmerili na lokalne konflikte.

And the result is that neither the internal resistance

A rezultat je da ni unutrašnji otpor

to the dominant ways of working

dominantnim načinima funkcionisanja

nor the external shocks

niti spoljašnji udari

have managed to convince international actors that they should reevaluate

nisu uspeli da ubede međunarodne aktere

da treba da ponovo procene svoje razumevanje nasilja i intervencije.

their understanding of violence and intervention.

And so far, there have been only very few exceptions.

Do sada je bilo veoma malo izuzetaka.

There have been exceptions, but only very few exceptions,

Bilo je izuzetaka, ali veoma malo,

to this broad pattern.

od ovog opšteg pristupa.

So to wrap up, the story I just told you

Da zaokružimo, priča koju sam vam upravo ispričala

is a story about how a dominant peacebuilding culture

je priča o tome kako dominantna kultura izgradnje mira

shapes the intervener's understanding of what the causes of violence are,

oblikuje razumevanje posrednika o tome koji su uzroci nasilja,

how peace is made,

kako se ostvaruje mir,

and what interventions should accomplish.

i šta intervencije treba da postignu.

These understandings enable international peacebuilders

Ovo razumevanje omogućava međunarodnim mirotvorcima

to ignore the micro-level foundations

da ignorišu temelje mikro nivoa

that are so necessary for sustainable peace.

koje su toliko neophodne za održiv mir.

The resulting inattention to local conflicts

Posledično neobraćanje pažnje na lokalne konflikte

leads to inadequate peacebuilding in the short term

vodi neadekvatnoj izgradnji mira u kratkoročnom periodu

and potential war resumption in the long term.

i potencijalnom obnavljanju rata na duge staze.

And what's fascinating is that this analysis

A ono što je fascinantno je da nam ova analiza

helps us to better understand many cases of lasting conflict

pomaže da bolje razumemo mnoge slučajeve dugotrajnog konflikta

and international intervention failures, in Africa and elsewhere.

i neuspehe međunarodnih intervencija, u Africi i na drugim mestima.

Local conflicts fuel violence in most war and post-war environments,

Lokalni konflikti podstiču nasilje u većini ratnih i posleratnih sredina,

from Afghanistan to Sudan to Timor-Leste,

od Avganistana i Sudana do Istočnog Timora,

and in the rare cases where there have been comprehensive,

i u retkim slučajevima gde je bilo obuhvatnih

bottom-up peacebuilding initiatives,

inicijativa za izgradnju mira odozdo na gore,

these attempts have been successful at making peace sustainable.

ti pokušaji su bili uspešni u postizanju mira koji je održiv.

One of the best examples is the contrast

Jedan od najboljih primera je kontrast

between the relatively peaceful situation in Somaliland,

između relativno mirne situacije u Somalilendu,

which benefited from sustained grassroots peacebuilding initiatives,

koji je imao koristi od održivih mirotvornih inicijativa na nižim nivoima,

and the violence prevalent in the rest of Somalia,

i nasilja koji preovlađuje u ostatku Somalije,

where peacebuilding has been mostly top-down.

gde je izgradnja mira uglavnom išla odozgo na dole.

And there are several other cases

Postoji i nekoliko drugih slučajeva

in which local, grassroots conflict resolution

u kojima je lokalno razrešenje konflikta

has made a crucial difference.

imalo ključnog uticaja.

So if we want international peacebuilding to work,

Zato ako želimo da međunarodna izgradnja mira uspe,

in addition to any top-down intervention,

pored intervencija odozgo na dole,

conflicts must be resolved from the bottom up.

konflikti se moraju rešavati odozdo.

And again, it's not that national and international tensions don't matter.

Još jednom, nije da narodne i međunarodne tenzije nisu bitne.

They do.

Bitne su.

And it's not that national and international peacebuilding

I nije da narodna i međunarodna izgradnja mira

isn't necessary.

nije potrebna.

It is.

Potrebna je.

Instead, it is that both macro-level and micro-level peacebuilding are needed

Umesto toga, potrebna je izgradnja mira i na makro i na mikro nivou

to make peace sustainable,

da bi učinili mir održivim,

and local nongovernmental organizations,

i lokalne nevladine organizacije,

local authorities and civil society representatives

lokalni organi vlasti i predstavnici građanskog društva

should be the main actors in the bottom-up process.

bi trebalo da budu glavni akteri u procesu odozdo na gore.

So of course, there are obstacles.

Naravno, ima prepreka.

Local actors often lack the funding

Lokalnim akterima često nedostaju finansije

and sometimes the logistical means and the technical capacity

i ponekad logistička sredstva i tehnički kapacitet

to implement effective, local peacebuilding programs.

za primenu efikasnih lokalnih programa za izgradnju mira.

So international actors should expand their funding and support

Zato međunarodni akteri treba da prošire svoje finansiranje i podršku

for local conflict resolution.

na rešavanje lokalnih konflikata.

As for Congo, what can be done?

A što se tiče Konga, šta se može učiniti?

After two decades of conflict and the deaths of millions,

Nakon dve decenije konflikata i smrti miliona ljudi,

it's clear that we need to change our approach.

jasno je da moramo da promenimo naš pristup.

Based on my field research,

Na osnovu mog terenskog istraživanja,

I believe that international and Congolese actors

verujem da bi međunarodni akteri i akteri Konga

should pay more attention to the resolution of land conflict

trebalo da obrate više pažnje na rešavanje domaćih konflikata

and the promotion of inter-community reconciliation.

i podsticanje pomirenja između zajednica.

So for instance, in the province of the Kivus,

Tako na primer, u provinciji Kivua,

the Life and Peace Institute and its Congolese partners

institut Život i mir i njegovi partneri iz Konga

have set up inter-community forums

su pokrenuli forume između zajednica

to discuss the specifics of local conflicts over land,

kako bi razgovarali o specifičnostima lokalnih konflikata oko poseda,

and these forums have found solutions to help manage the violence.

i ovi forumi su pronašli rešenja za pomoć u obuzdavanju nasilja.

That's the kind of program that is sorely needed

Takav program je preko potreban

throughout eastern Congo.

širom istočnog Konga.

It's with programs like this

Ovakvim programima

that we can help people like Isabelle and her husband.

možemo pomoći ljudima kao što su Izabela i njen muž.

So these will not be magic wands,

To neće biti kao magičnim štapićem,

but because they take into account deeply rooted causes of the violence,

ali pošto obuhvataju duboko ukorenjene uzroke nasilja,

they could definitely be game-changers.

definitivno mogu promeniti situaciju.

Thank you.

Hvala.

(Applause)

(Aplauz)