The Role of Colonial Powers in African Conflicts: a Case Study of Britain in Sudan Conflict and the Secession of South Sudan

Abstract

The overall aim of the research was to determine how colonial powers contributed to conflicts in Africa. Specific objectives included to discuss the role of former colonial powers in African conflicts, examine the role of Britain in Sudan conflict and the secession of South Sudan, and discuss how African states should limit the negative influence by former colonial powers in their countries. The study also set out two hypotheses namely colonial legacy is one of the causes of African conflicts, and secondly that the British colonial legacy has is associated with Sudan conflicts and the secession of South Sudan. The research was founded on Structural theory of imperialism by Johan Galtung, and triangulated both primary and secondary data and utilized mixed research method in addressing the research problem. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 15 respondents categorized as diplomats, politicians, and academicians. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data which was analyzed using thematic content analysis technique. On the other hand, secondary data was obtained from relevant journals, books, periodicals and maps to help in expounding the relationship between colonialism in Africa and the conflicts witnessed in the region, including the situation in Sudan and South Sudan. Through historical analysis of secondary data and primary data, the study established that colonialism has a significant influence on many conflicts and wars in Africa. One of the most affected countries on the continent includes Sudan, with historical conflicts having culminated into the 2011 South Sudan secession from Sudan. Furthermore, the British divide-and-rule policy was practiced in most African countries, even long after colonization on the continent ended. This scenario continues to thrive on the continent in form of the ruling class minority often dominating the majority who are the ruled, by making important policy decisions with little regard to the preferences of the latter. Many countries in Africa continue to experience political upheavals whose exploiting factors result into the colonial policy of creating a self-perpetuating ruling class and the ruled; something akin to carryover from the colonial governments. Lastly, the study has made a number of recommendations on how African states should limit the negative influence from former colonial powers in their countries. The recommendations include the fact that African countries should strive to adopt a holistic approach for dealing with issues related with colonialism in Africa through strengthening of relevant peace negotiation institutions, and encourage multi-agency strategy when resolving conflicts in any parts of the continent. Also, the study recommended that, as leading peace negotiators in Africa, the UN and the AU should move away from emphasizing so much on military intervention when resolving conflicts on the continent to embracing dialogue and mutual respect to conflicting parties. With regard to conflict resolution in Sudan, the secession of the south from the north should provide the best opportunity for the two countries to work together to benefit citizens belonging to the two nations. It is only through mutual respect that mistrust between the two nations can be eradicated and frontiers for development mooted. The study also recommended the need for a heightened goodwill by intercontinental friends in rallying all the countries on the continent to respect the rule of law in their governance and foster the spirit of interstate and intrastate friendships so as to dispel the fear of creeping mentality of ‘recolonization’ by the ruling elite in some parts of the continent.