The Threats to Regional Peace and Security in the Great Lakes of Africa.

Abstract The tranquility hitherto enjoyed by citizens of the world appears to have significantly atrophied; no longer is it possible to sleep with the two eyes closed nor is it reasonable to freely traverse wherever one chooses; as natural threats plague man so are manmade threats, and of late, the most dreadful and severe of the threats to humanity is that of terrorists who seem ubiquitous and scattered over all the nooks and cranny of the entire globe with the concomitant fear that they could strike at any time and most often times when they do, innocent lives are wasted and valuable properties are destroyed with impunity. The purpose of this study is establish whether there are indeed threats to mankind and if the answer is in the affirmative, bring to the fore the variants of threats with which man-kind is faced especially in the Great Lakes of Africa. This study made use of secondary sources to derive information on threats, confirmed going by available records that there are threats to peace and human security in Great Lakes of Africa like elsewhere in the world, it categorized the said threats, highlighted their severity with the major finding that terrorism and civil wars are the most potent of the threats in Great Lakes of Africa and recommended that aside from other measures, dialogue with terror organizations' as well as compromise and concessions should be adopted; for civil wars, in addition to peace keeping operations, immediate export of arms to war torn countries should be stopped and mediation should be employed as solutions targeted at mitigating the identified threats so as enable mankind, live a peaceful life than presently.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Declaration A

Declaration B

Approval sheet

Dedication

Acknowledgement

List of Abbreviations

Table of Contents

List of Tables

Abstract

CHAPTER

ONE:CONTEXTOFTHESTUDY

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

1.1.1 Historical perspective

1.1.2 Current situation in East Africa

1.1.3 Conceptual perspective

1.1.4 Theoretical perspective

1.2 Statement of the Problem

1.3 Purpose of the Study

1.4 Research Objectives

1.5 Research Questions

1.6 Scope

1.7 Significance of the Study

1.8 Operational Definitions of Key Terms

TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 13

2.0 Introduction 13

2.1 Regional Security 13

2.2 Climate change 15

2.3 Diseases 17

2.4 Food shortage 19

2.5 Poverty and under development 21

2.6 Arms trafficking 24

2. 7 Religious conflicts and terrorism 25

2.8 Wars and armed conflicts 34

2.9 Gaps in Literature 36

THREE:METHODOLOGY 37

3.1 Introduction 37

3.2 Research design 37

3.3 Research population and size 37

3.4 Data collection method 38

3.5 Validity and reliability of data 39

3.6 Ethical considerations 40

3.7 Limitations of the study 40

FOUR: PRESENTATION ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA 41

4.0 Introduction 41

4.1 Climate Change resulting in food shortages 41

4.2 Diseases: HIV & AIDs Prevalence 42

4.3 Diseases: HIV & AIDs Statistics in East Africa 2011 42

4.4 Human Development Index 43

VIII

4.5 Arms Importation to East Africa

4.6 Terrorists Attacks-Incident of Terrorism Worldwide

4.6.1 Terrorists Attacks in 2013

4.6.2 Terrorists attacks in East Africa by Country Burundi

4.6.3 Terrorists attacks in East Africa by Country DRC

4.6.4 Terrorists attacks in East Africa by Country Kenya

4.6.5 Terrorists attacks in East Africa by Country Rwanda

4.6.6 Terrorists attacks in East Africa by Country Tanzania

4.6. 7 Terrorists attacks in East Africa by Country Uganda

4. 7 Characteristics of terrorists groups

4.8 Death toll in Democratic Republic of Congo

4.9 United Nations death toll figure in DRC

4.10 Severity of threats and prove of theoretical theory

4.11 Comparative analysis of threats in East Africa

4.12 Measures in place to minimize threats

CHAPTER FIVE: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

5.0 Introduction

5.1 Discussion of findings

5.1.1 Existence of threats

5 .1 .2 Categories of th reals

5.1.3. Severity of threats

5.1.4 Strengths and weaknesses of measures against threats

5.2 Conclusions

5.3 Recommendations

5.4 Areas for further research