Dimensions of Armed Violence

Armed violence cannot be dealt with in isolation of broader economic, socio-political and security considerations. This component of the safety and security programme considers a range of factors which inform the understanding of the dimensions of armed violence in society. These include:

Societal trends
Impact of armed violence society
Armed non state actors
Natural resources
Development

Societal Trends

The monitoring of societal trends is a cross-cutting issue which the Safety and Security programme is concerned with. To fully appreciate the issues of safety and security appreciation for the broader societal context is required. Some of the main societal trends that are not traditionally associated with the realm of safety and security include understanding the broader society in terms of the population demography, income and expenditure, housing, health and education trends. Without an up to date understanding of these issues, safety and security initiatives are often misguided and largely based upon prevailing stereotypes. A recent social trend is the rise of the technological age and the impacts that this poses for safety and security.

Impact of Armed Violence on Society

The impact of armed violence on society requires continual monitoring and analysis. The extent and nature of armed violence, as well as the dynamics between different causal factors should be continually interrogated into order to ensure that the policy environment is responsive to changes on the ground. The impacts of armed violence are experienced differently by different sectors and individuals in society. Certain vulnerable groups experience armed violence disproportionally more than others. The impacts of armed violence include, amongst others, those that are physiological, emotional, economic, physical and sexual in character.

Armed Non State Actors

Armed non state actors are crucial actors in conflicts in Africa. Armed non state actors include all armed groups operating outside of the control of the state. These include rebels, militias, warlords, vigilantes, etc. The problem of controlling these grouping is linked to the fact that traditional laws and norms regulating the use of force are only applicable at a state level, while the engagement of armed non state actors often occurs at an intrastate level between opposing armed non state actors.

Natural resources

All over Africa – and indeed the world – wars and civil strife have been sparked by the indiscriminate or greedy exploitation of natural resources. Diamonds and oil have been important catalysts in a number of recent wars, and wars over water resources have long been expected, although this threat has generally been well managed to date. Where economic and political stability are tenuous, the exploiters of natural resources often also resort to illegal activities such as trade in illicit arms, smuggling networks and money laundering.

The mere presence of natural, strategic resources does not, however, automatically indicate conflict. In assessing potential conflict, it is important to also consider factors such as the wealth of the country concerned, the history of the country or region, the ethnic balance, political composition and the military balance within the affected zone.

In brokering remedies to problems or potential problems, SaferAfrica strives to analyse each aspect of the dynamics of a country or region, so that comprehensive, multi-dimensional solutions may be found.

Development

Security and development issues cannot be considered independently; each having a profound impact on the other. The growing consensus on the African continent is that a development paradigm which facilitates participation at all levels is the only sustainable approach. The central focus of development paradigms shift according to contextual requirements, although economic growth has traditionally been at the fore. There is an increasing awareness that a more comprehensive approach which gives equal weight to political, social, environmental, and, of course, security issues, is preferable. One aspect cannot be pursued to the detriment of others if a sustainable change is to be made. Development with human security at its core, which emphasises participation, inclusiveness, consultation and cost-effectiveness in the formulation and implementation of development strategies is the required approach. These ideals are entrenched in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). Viewed as the comprehensive socio-economic development plan of the African Union, and combining a number of previous initiatives including the Omega Plan, Millennium Africa Recovery Plan (MAP), New African Initiative (NAI), and the Millennium Development Goals, it considers the unique contextual issues of the Continent which were marginalized in previous development plans.

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