Link To Article: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/12/5/unease-uncertainty-for-displaced-people-in-dr-congo-ahead-of-dec-20-vote
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a vote for the government is coming up around the corner on December 20th bringing with it uncertainty of the outcome. The public has stressed about multiple problems the government has not responded to or dealt with such as violence/rebellions (M23 in Goma/ceasefire), poverty (living in makeshift homes), and illness. These are just a few of many problems Congolese citizens are experiencing and saying that the government has forgotten about the public and failed to bring permanent peace. With not a lot of high hopes in the country, it is expected that political clashes and electoral campaigns could lead to violence breaking out once again (riots). Even with all the negativity, the potential of a new leader/government has given some glimmers of hope for a better future which is all they are hoping for.
After reading this article, I am quite impressed at how poor of a situation the DRC are in as a country. It does not seem like anything is going well at the current moment or even for the past few years. This information is significant because you can see all the different ways of instability that need to be fixed. Whether they get help from a global power or do it with the new election, I find that if they do manage to do it, it will be a long slow process. It is weird comparing the DRC to other African countries because they are more modernized and have a more western world view. These two factors have worked out for plenty of countries like the US and others in Europe, while the DRC seems to be struggling with no bright sign for a future.
Relating this article to what I have learned in class, I would choose liberal theory. Liberal theory is all about democracy and that expanding democracy would lead to a peaceful world. In this article, the DRC are a democratic country who believe in the liberal point of view, hence their upcoming election. They believe a way to achieve peace is through voting for a new leader and government who will listen to their worries.