Africa’s conflict zones stretch from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in the Sahel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. In these areas, conflict in Africa continues to take a toll on people living on the continent. Consequently, these conflict zones in Africa constitute a major risk to the well-being of individuals living there. Apart from the political and socio-economic implications of these conflicts, there are more questions to be asked. For example, what is the overall psychological impact of war on Africans? How do these African conflict zones impact mental wellness for war survivors? And what is the position of trauma recovery in Africa?
The Ignored Aspect Of Africa’s Conflict Zones
Of course, the topic of war and crisis in Africa is as old as the colonial era, even before that. However, the main focus is usually placed on the political, social, economic and even cultural impacts of the conflicts. Those are the bigger pictures to look at. In a way, that may be true, but it leaves out an equally significant perspective of measuring impacts in Africa’s conflict zones — the psychological impacts.
There’s been a general lack of interrogation into what war and other forms of conflict in Africa’s conflict zones mean for the mental well-being of Africans. In Nigeria, for instance, the gruesome civil war that took place almost 60 years ago left a scar in the minds of civilians from the former Eastern part of the country. Psychologically and mentally, the brutal legacy of this war today is evident. It left a permanent mark on the mental well-being of people who fought in it, lost people to it or suffered one misfortune or the other as a result of the war. Trauma recovery in Africa is hardly talked about. People assume that relief and aid can be sent to people in these areas, and that solves the problems.
The Sad Story Of War Survivors In Africa’s Conflict Zones
In 1994, Rwanda witnessed what is probably the darkest page of its history. Over 800,000 ethnic Hutus died in a bloody genocide. As horrible as it sounds to foreigners who only get to read or watch documentaries about it, it is even more terrible for the people who live it. Today, in Rwanda, thousands of families and individuals are war survivors from that period. It is difficult to forget a bad day in school for the rest of our lives; how much more is genocide? These war survivors have mental scars, and many of them have anxiety, depression, PTSD and many other mental illnesses.
These scars are the case of millions of war survivors across Africa who found themselves in conflict zones. Mental wellness for war survivors is important to African heads of state and institutions that work towards a better future for the continent.
The Mental Images Of Trauma
Key elements across African conflict zones are the themes of hunger, starvation, severe injuries and deaths. In South Sudan today, the UN reports that over 72% of the people there need humanitarian aid. Pictures and videos of starving children, severely wounded adults (and children), as well as piles and piles of dead bodies from hard-hit areas of the conflicts in Africa, are very prevalent. Even on social media and on TV, these images tend to solicit traumatic experiences for the viewers. How many more people are on the ground living these experiences?
It can prove difficult to recover from trauma, especially the overly traumatic experiences in life, such as what we see in these African conflict zones. Trauma recovery is a priority after conflict, and we should not spare any effort to help people recover.
Lasting Damages From Africa’s Conflict Zones
Ten, twenty, or fifty years from now, many of the current conflicts will have ended in Africa. As these African conflict zones fully recover economically, politically, socially, and culturally, we must address the psychological impact of conflict on people and fully embrace the opportunities the changes will bring. To ensure this happens, we must provide the support people need today for better trauma recovery in the affected populations.
If we do not do this, mistrust, pain, hatred, and bitterness will continue to exist among the people.
The Way Forward
Governments and organisations in Africa need to begin a proper consideration of mental health issues in African conflict zones. While the people in affected areas need food, clean water, and shelter, all of these should be provided alongside psychological support.
