In the Democratic Republic of Congo the abundance of natural resources and the inequality and exploitation of people for the profit of others actually becomes the key obstacle to obtaining sustainable peace. Sustainable peace requires a goal of equality and freedom or it will not be sustainable. Nations may be more stable looking, but within the hearts of the people there remains a search for change until peace comes with equality and freedom.
Peace is a long sought dream for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its name has changed six times in conflicts since its independence in June 30, 1960 when it began as the Belgian Congo. At the end of the first war in 1997 and the overthrow of General Mobutu, "Zaire" was renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo. The United States had supported him since 1965 because he opposed Communism and he allowed easy access to cheap raw materials.
The very essence of Democracy over Communism is that individuals get to prosper for their efforts in using other people, usually legally, but in this nation exploitation of women and children abounds. That sustains an inequality and resentment that stirs up wars, conflicts and oppositions; so the move to Democracy laid the foundation that could be used in extensive corruption of the leadership.
From 1996, the First and Second Congo Wars have left over five (5) million people dead, almost half from malnutrition which affects about two thirds of the people. Corruption and instability in the government have increased the debt while reducing the national output and income. Foreign investments are cautious and insufficient for the massive effort needed to prepare infrastructure, legal framework, and economic policies for large scale redevelopment, especially when inflation, corruption, and the outcome of the wars create such insecurities.
Natural resources vital to the world's industrial, and commercial enterprises are available in large quanities in the Congo. They include industrial and gem-quality diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, cobalt, copper, cadmium, uranium, radium, manganese, tin, germanium, bauxite, iron ore, and coal as well as tantalum.
The United Nations reports that smuggling and exporting coltan, an ore that contains tantalum, has provided the funds to fuel the war in Congo. Computer and cell phone type technologies use coltan making it extremely valuable at $100 a pound. This conflict has become the world's deadliest documented since World War II, (5.4 million deaths.)
The population in 2007 was recorded as 62.6 million people and the land is about the size of Western Europe, having 905,567 square miles (2,345,408 square kilometers) in west-central sub-Sahara surrounded by about nine nations, with an outlet to the ocean.
Sustainable peace can be found in understanding what is happening in our world and what steps we need to survive and bring the equality and freedom we all desire. Though supplies have been plentiful for developing industry in several nations, the success of exporting democracy to India and China as well as other nations is coming with apparent disaster attached. There is not enough energy to supply all nations equally; and even with our insufficient supplies we are already polluting our air, land, water, food, and bodies by our manufacturing, processing, packaging and transporting food and goods world-wide. We can only destroy ourselves faster by producing more products for industry and commercialism.
The solution is simple. The goal in life is not employment with its inherent pollution, bondage and stress that leads to sickness, disease, and accidental death; the goal in life is retirement in a garden paradise that we can create now. That solves all the world problems including the wars of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The steps are easy; start planting trees, bushes, vines, and plants that produce food and start selecting pets that give milk, eggs, and other useful things. All these things reproduce, grow quickly, and leave no pollution, global warming, energy or food crisis. The investment is easy. There are many social benefits including peace, health, social security and strong family relationships in the community.
The primary obstacle is fear; but each person can begin their community garden paradise without waiting for others. As the "rich" see the sickness and danger of their riches, they will choose the true riches of health and family closeness. The added power to turn from our pollutions is given in all holy books. The wisdom says not to seek riches; and the reward will be a garden paradise, equality, true freedom, and sustainable peace.