Psychological Fitness - Experiences from UN Military Peace Enforcement Operations in the DRC April 2003 - January 2005

Abstract : The African war, 1996-2002, formally came to an end when the Peace Agreement was signed in 2002. However, uncontrolled armed groups and local forces, foreign rebel groups and some dissident elements within the Congolese National Army, all mainly located in Eastern Congo, did not accept the Peace Agreement. As a result of their activities, widespread criminality, illegal exploitation of natural resources, ethnic cleansing, weapon smuggling and massacres continued during 2003 and 2004. UN Military Forces, eventually organised into two brigades in the District of Ituri and the Kivu Provinces and, mandated for Chapter 7 operations, became a key asset for the protection of the civilian population, re-establishing security and enforcing the Peace Agreement. Action was taken through a series of military operations, in all 30-40 in number, with the aim of creating a secure environment for the population, disarming militiamen and bridging the conflict within the Congolese National Army. I intend in this short paper to look at three military operations, how they were affected by Psychological Fitness and how in turn Psychological Fitness amongst the ranks of the two brigades also influenced operational effectiveness.