Peacekeeping or peace enforcement? : a proposed model for intervention in Sub-Saharan Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The principles and characteristics of peacekeeping, as the United Nations (UN)in its search towards global peace and stability originally intended, are notadhered to in Sub-Saharan African countries. In this context, peacekeepingoperations are perceived to be synonymous with biased armed intervention andthe enforcement of peace through the application of force, often without theconsent of the parties involved in conflict.As the political situation in many Sub-Saharan African states deteriorates, agreater need for peacekeeping and even peace enforcement operations hasarisen. Mounting pressure on South Africa from regional forces, as well SouthAfrica's own national interest to become involved in peacekeeping, calls for anevaluation of 'Sub-Saharan African peacekeeping' per se. This situation createsa dilemma as regards both the responses by regional organs and the reaction ofstates to the endemic and escalating conflicts in collapsing states. Can what iscurrently happening in Sub-Saharan African still be referred to aspeacekeeping? Do we need a fresh approach to conflict resolution in Sub-Saharan Africa? Are the UN principles, set in a post-World Warglobalcontext, still applicable in a deteriorating intra-state context?In an attempt to find answers to these questions, this research focuses on thenature of peacekeeping operations from an analytical, comparative perspectivewith the aim of identifying commonalities and differences in the approaches andpractices of countries that have participated in peacekeeping operations. Couldit be that 'classical' UN peacekeeping has simply become historically outdatedand that modern peacekeeping operations are dictated by the socio-politicalenvironment and thus requires a new approach? It would appear that theconcept of peacekeeping needs to be re-defined from an African perspective inorder to equip regional organs with a firm theoretical foundation for possiblefuture involvement in Sub-Saharan African peacekeeping and peaceenforcement endeavours. The UN's peacekeeping performance on the African continent over the pastdecade has raised serious doubts as to whether the UN has the capacity or willto deal effectively with inter-state and more specifically, intra-state conflict.Consequently, Sub-Saharan African peacekeeping is currently standing at acrossroad. It is also evident that a transition needs to be made from 'classical'UN peacekeeping principles to a 'modern' African approach in touch withAfrica's prevailing circumstances and demands.From the research findings and case studies, a conclusion is drawn concerninghow 'modern' peacekeeping practices compare to 'classical' peacekeeping, asenvisaged in Chapter VI of the UN Charter. In addition, a model is proposed fordealing with the unique challenges of Sub-Saharan African intra-state conflict.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University