Issue

Conflict and Peace Building

Nearly 30 years after the Rwandan genocide, thousands of maimed amputees remind us of the war that took 500,000 lives in 100 days. War leaves marks that cannot be erased—not only in Rwanda, but on every continent.

Reporting from Conflict and Peacebuilding examines the roots of conflict, whether it be religious hatred, sectarian rivalry, a security vacuum, the struggle for natural resources, or the desperation that results from poverty.

Pulitzer Center journalists also cover war’s aftermath: the transitional governments that result in chaos, diplomacy that goes awry, peace talks that never end, and the people who suffer the consequences, young and old. We see the children who go hungry, lose their homes, leave school, become combatants, or join the jihad.

Often the end to conflict leaves turmoil in its wake while the road to peace seems circuitous: In South Sudan, rebel-commanders-turned politicians plunge the country into civil war. In the U.S., troops return home from one war only to be re-deployed to another. But everywhere, in every conflict, there are also voices crying out for peace, determined to heal the divide.

 

Conflict and Peace Building

The Toll of Small Arms Op-Chart

Despite the presence of the world's largest peacekeeping mission, the Democratic Republic of Congo remains in the grip of civil war. The reason is clear. A flood of small arms and light weapons undermines the 17,000 United Nations troops' mandate to protect civilians.

Bukavu

Bukavu in a city located east of the DRC and the capital of the South Kivu province.

Daily Life

A series of photographs capturing the influence of cellular phones on the daily lives of people in DRC.

Mining in the DRC

Mining is becoming a growing industry in DRC where many farmers are switching jobs to join the destructive industry.

Coltan Processing

Coltan mining continues to grow in the DRC. Coltan is commonly used in mobile phones, and the DRC counts for one of the world's largest coltan reserves.

Victims of War

Women and children have been raped systematically by the armed forces in the conflict. Also, about 1200 people die daily because of non-direct fighting, according to some NGOs.