The devastation and looting of DR Congo involves a racket of local, regional and international tycoons, warlords, smugglers and pillagers. What is happening illustrates a crisis of leadership at all levels of human society, and the total destruction of the conscience, by putting money and/or profit above human life. That is how Archbishop Munzihirwa understood the crisis.

The twin forces of poor leadership and collective war trauma seem to be pushing the Great Lakes Region into endless conflict, creating a self-perpetuating circle of power-chasing and abuse. Namakula E. Mayanja considers why this is the case, and what the region needs to break this vicious cycle.