African Ethics and the Moral Possibilities of Ubuntu towards Conflict Resolution in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Abstract

The aim of this article is to discuss the influence that African ethics can exert to solve conflict peacefully in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in the light of Ubuntu as a traditional world vision. In considering Ubuntu towards conflict resolution and peace building, the article contends that African ethics, which was appropriate in traditional Africa to wage peace and maintain social harmony, can still help to establish or build conditions for deliberations in conflict resolutions by bringing about peace, justice, unity, and freedom, generally in Africa and particularly in the DRC. The idea of trying to pose the African ethics as a panacea to the conflict in the DRC has to do with, inter alia trying to open other perspectives within the scope of the search for solutions to the problems of the DRC.The findings of the external desk research methodology, which comprised online desk research (Internet) data from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the United Nations, the African Union, and published government data, reveal the detrimental effects of conflict within the DRC. Therefore, it is evident that anybody who is seriously concerned with the welfare of the DRC needs to address the issue of ethical crisis in the resolution of conflict. The researcher draws the conclusion that an African ethics framework can be applied through an indigenous approach to conflict resolution in the DRC. This framework draws on the philosophy of Ubuntu because of its set of common characteristics or behaviours, representative of a wider value system or paradigm.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n3p561