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Child Soldiers and Restorative Justice pp 293–339Cite as

Diagnosing the Problem: Perspectives from the Field

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Abstract

Action research begins with an identification and setting of the problem. Literature on the problem under study was reviewed, followed by a simultaneous collection of empirical data through interviews, focus groups, search conference reports and survey questionnaires. Inductive and deductive methods, combining an interpretive paradigm and statistical techniques of descriptive and analytical surveys, were employed. The interpretation of data conformed to an interpretive paradigm, with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) techniques previously explained in the research design and methodology section. The findings were generated to answer research objectives and aims, establishing whether there are correlations between the dependent and independent variables.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    These statistics were provided during focus groups with humanitarian agents from Caritas, Goma, 5 June 2014.

  2. 2.

    Focus groups with high school children, Rutshuru, 23 May 2014.

  3. 3.

    The Nyatura is a milita made of Hutu elements. This name originates from the Kinyarwanda language of Rwanda , meaning ‘hit hard’. They were constituted in 2010 to protect the Hutu interests and populations who fled in the DRC following the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. They fight alongside the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) against rival militias and armed groups they consider as a threat to the survival of the Hutus living on Congolese soil. They have also supported the Congolese national army against non-governmental rebels such as the APCLS, the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) and the Mai-Mai. The latter group was defeated by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) in 2013, with the support of thousands of the UN fighters.

  4. 4.

    Personal interview with Delphin, Goma, 7 June 2014.

  5. 5.

    Personal interview with a school boy, identified as Al, Goma, 7 June 2014.

  6. 6.

    Personal interview with CBK, Goma, 7 June 2014.

  7. 7.

    Personal interview with Diana, Goma, 7 June 2017.

  8. 8.

    Personal interview with Kalunga (former child soldier), Goma, 7 June 2014.

  9. 9.

    Focus groups with humanitarian agents, Kiwanja, 22 May 2015.

  10. 10.

    Personal interview with Kalunga (former child soldier), Goma, 7 June 2014.

  11. 11.

    Personal interview with Patient, (humanitarian agent), Rutshuru, 26 June 2014.

  12. 12.

    Ibidem.

  13. 13.

    Personal interview with Patient, 26 May 2014, Rutshuru, North Kivu.

  14. 14.

    Ibidem.

  15. 15.

    Personal interview with Kingombe, 26 May 2014, Rutshuru, North Kivu.

  16. 16.

    Personal interview with Kiki, 26 May 2014, Rutshuru, North Kivu.

  17. 17.

    Personal interview with Ngandu, Goma, 7 June 2014.

  18. 18.

    Ibidem.

  19. 19.

    Ibidem.

  20. 20.

    Ibidem.

  21. 21.

    Ibidem.

  22. 22.

    Ibidem.

  23. 23.

    Ibidem.

  24. 24.

    Personal interview with Ngandu, Goma, 7 June 2014.

  25. 25.

    Ibidem.

  26. 26.

    Focus group with humanitarian workers, Kiwanja, 27 May 2014. This situation caused the increasing rates of criminality and kidnapping by the Manoti groups, who ask ransoms before releasing the kidnapped, to explode. Generally, humanitarian workers, medical doctors, business people and high profile members of the community are the targets.

  27. 27.

    Focus group with teachers at Bustani High School, and ex-combatant children at St Damian High School in Masisi, 10 June 2014.

  28. 28.

    Focus group with humanitarian workers, Goma, 28 May 2014.

  29. 29.

    Focus group with humanitarian workers, Kiwanja, 27 May 2014.

  30. 30.

    Personal interview with Katamasoko, a former child soldier, Masisi Centre, 14 May 2014.

  31. 31.

    Focus group with humanitarian workers, Kiwanja, 27 May 2014.

  32. 32.

    These revelations were made during focus groups and interviews with several child soldiers at CTOs of Masisi and Rutshuru, between 3 May and 22 June 2014.

  33. 33.

    Personal interview with Kinige (self-demobilised child soldier), Masisi centre, 11 June 2014.

  34. 34.

    Personal interview with Debandes, Nyahanga village (Rutshuru District), 25 May 2014.

  35. 35.

    Personal interview with Sertwe-Kahanda, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  36. 36.

    Personal interview with Kadogo child soldier, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  37. 37.

    Personal interview with Patient, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  38. 38.

    Personal interview with Sertwe Kahuma, Nyahanga village 25 May 2014.

  39. 39.

    Personal interview with Kabudogo, Masisi, 11 June 2014

  40. 40.

    Personal interview with Hirondele, Masisi, 11 June 2014.

  41. 41.

    Personal interview with Rudigiri, Masisi, 11 June 2014.

  42. 42.

    Personal interview with Kiwede, Nyahanga, 6 May 2014.

  43. 43.

    Personal interview with Cheya (self-demobilised child soldier), Masisi Centre, 11 June 2014.

  44. 44.

    Personal interview with Kadogo_G, Nyahanga village, 26 May 2014.

  45. 45.

    Personal interview with Rushati, Nyahanga village, 26 May 2014.

  46. 46.

    Focus group with humanitarian workers operating at Masisi Centre, 11 June 2014.

  47. 47.

    Personal interview with Kamundala, Masisi Centre, 11 June 2014.

  48. 48.

    Personal interview with Mudimbe, Masisi Centre, 11 June 2014.

  49. 49.

    Personal interview with Kamukongoto, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  50. 50.

    Personal interview with Buffalo, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  51. 51.

    Personal interview with Katamasoko, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  52. 52.

    Personal interview with Kasole, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  53. 53.

    Personal interview with Kiriboli, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  54. 54.

    Personal interview with Litien, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  55. 55.

    Manoti is an armed group leader well-known for kidnappings and asking for ransom. He operates around Kiwanja, Rutshuru and Rubaya. Manoti, from the Kiswahili word “notes” refers to US Dollar notes that victims pay for their release once kidnapped by the Manoti group.

  56. 56.

    Personal interview with Kavuno, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  57. 57.

    Personal interview with Debandes, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  58. 58.

    Personal interview with Blaise, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  59. 59.

    Personal interview with Kadogo_G, the only female girl soldier found in CTOs, Nyahanga village, 25 May 2014.

  60. 60.

    Personal interview with Kadogo_1, Nyahanga village, Rutshuru, 26 May 2014.

  61. 61.

    Personal interview with Patient, Rutshuru, 26 May 2014.

  62. 62.

    Personal interview with Patient, Nyahanga village, Rutshuru, 26 May 2014.

  63. 63.

    Search conference, Goma, 14 June and 17 December 2014.

  64. 64.

    Interview with Patient, Nyahanga village, Rutshuru, 26 May 2014.

  65. 65.

    Personal interview with Kinige, Masisi centre, 11 June 2014.

  66. 66.

    Personal interview with Kasongo, Masisi centre, 11 June 2014.

  67. 67.

    Personal interview with Shetani, Masisi centre, 11 June 2014. The name Shetani (in the Kiswahili local language) mean the Devil, also referred to Colonel Shetani Muhima, leader of the Mai-Mai Popular Forces for Democracy (FPD).

  68. 68.

    Focus groups with child self-demobilised child soldiers, Masisi centre, 11 June 2014.

  69. 69.

    Personal interview with Cameleon Noir (translated as Black Chameleon in English), ex-child soldiers, Mutiri village, 16 June 2014.

  70. 70.

    Personal interview with Farao, Masisi Centre, 11 June 2014.

  71. 71.

    Personal interview with Simba, Masisi Centre, 11 June 2014.

  72. 72.

    Personal interview with Patient, Nyahanga village (Rutshuru District), 26 May 2014.

  73. 73.

    Personal interview with Kiriboli, Nyahnga village, 26 May 2014.

  74. 74.

    Focus groups with returnee child soldiers, Masisi centre and Mutiti village (North Kivu), 16 June 2014.

  75. 75.

    Personal interview with Ngandu, Goma, 7 June 2014.

  76. 76.

    Personal interview with Kitchwa Drogue, a 15 year-old, child soldier who fought in the APCLS. Masisi Centre, 16 June 2014.

  77. 77.

    Focus groups with returnee child soldiers at CTO Masisi, 16 June 2014.

  78. 78.

    Personal interview with Sertwe-Kahanda, Nyahanga village (Rutshuru District), 25 June 2014.

  79. 79.

    Personal interview with Kingomba, Nyahanga village, 25 June 2014.

  80. 80.

    Personal interview with Django, Nyahanga village, 25 June 2014.

  81. 81.

    Personal interview with Bakatakingo, Nyahanga village, 25 June 2015.

  82. 82.

    Personal interview with Joseph Kinois, Goma, 14 May 2014.

  83. 83.

    Ibidem.

  84. 84.

    Personal interview with MMC Arlone, Goma, 14 May 2014.

  85. 85.

    Ibidem.

  86. 86.

    Personal interview with Kalunga, Goma, 14 May 2014.

  87. 87.

    Personal interview with Karlos, Goma, 14 May 2014.

  88. 88.

    Personal interview with Alpha Delta, Rutshuru, 24 May 2014.

  89. 89.

    Ibidem.

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  1. International Centre of Nonviolence, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa

    Jean Chrysostome K. Kiyala

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Kiyala, J.C.K. (2019). Diagnosing the Problem: Perspectives from the Field. In: Child Soldiers and Restorative Justice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90071-1_10

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