Armed Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Moral-Rational Review and Need for a Functional Explanatory Framework in Understanding of African Armed Conflicts

Purpose: This paper grapples with the complex and multifaceted nature of the Congolese armed conflict from 1993 to 2003 through literature and theoretical debates. It poses the intriguing question of how analytical views and theoretical assumptions on this Congolese armed conflict inform one about the impact of moral and rational considerations and proceeds to highlight the moral and rational layers of the conflict. The paper reflects on immoral and irrational mechanisms, processes, behaviors, and decisions as factors that made this conflict a deeply harrowing experience, with a staggering number of non-liable civilian deaths and devastating consequences since World War II. Methodology: This paper used content analysis to unravel the trajectory of the Congolese armed conflict through a comprehensive document review of its historical and theoretical analysis. It employed a unique approach of critical moral reasoning to dissect moral and rational questions of the conflict's various causes, dimensions, actors, networks, and involved interests, thereby providing a fresh perspective on the conflict. Findings: This paper revealed moral lapses in the Congolese armed conflict's occurrence, development, and resolution from its origins in local identity-based disputes to its transformation into one of the most protracted, deadly, and destructive cycles of violence. The paper found that the conflict's moral and rational aspects were, in their right, essential aggravating features because they impacted its status determination and development from its onset to the peacebuilding process, and a framed functional moral and rational inquiry is needed for a more structured explanation of this causation. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: With its critical moral reasoning, this paper extended the analytical and theoretical understanding of the Congolese armed conflict and offered practical implications for future analysis of African armed conflicts. By shedding light on the moral and rational features of the Congolese armed conflict, it advocates for a functional moral and rational inquiry framework to elucidate the functionality of relationships between moral and rational actions during the conflict and its development. The aim is to enhance the comprehension of the conflict and help define actionable tools for decision-makers during wars and peace processes in Africa, thereby making a tangible impact on the field.