Africa is a large topographical varied land mass, which has endowed the continent with a

wide range of natural resources. The continent has wide spread reserves of natural resources,
with a great potential of mineral beneficiation, yet the continent is a paradox of poverty,
protracted social violence and conflicts. This write up is to look upon the relevance of the
remark that Africas curse is its resources, relating it to the explanation of Africas conflicts.
The write would like to start by giving the definition of the terms conflicts and resources.
According to Bujra (2002) conflicts can be defined as a violent and armed confrontation and
struggle between the state and one or more groups, and between two or more states. In such
confrontations and struggle some of those involved get killed or injured.
Salim (1999) categorised conflicts in various ways depending on the type of criteria one uses.
He pointed out that they are boundary and territorial conflicts, civil wars and internal
conflicts having an international repercussion, succession conflicts in territories decolonised
and also political ideologies conflicts. Basing from the definitions above, one can define
conflicts as the meeting of opposing g ideas or beliefs which may lead to war battle or
struggle
Ricklefs (2005) cited that resources are sources or supplies from which benefit is produced.
Typical, resources are materials, services, staff, knowledge, or other assets that are
transformed to produce benefit in the process may be consumed or made available. Benefit of
resources utilisation is an increment on wealth, meeting needs or wants, proper functioning of
a system.
Rickleffs would also like to note down a list of examples of some of the resources which
include the following, economical, biological, natural, human, capital among others. Natural
resources include resources derived from the environment and are essential for human
survival while others are used to satisfy human desires. They also contribute to the economy
of the country. In most cases whenever conflicts are taking place, natural resources are at the
centre of the most cause of conflicts. People conflict for land, water, minerals and many other
resources from the natural environment.
According to Coller (2004), natural resources generate what economists term rents meaning
profits that are higher than the maximum levels needed to keep the activities going. The
trouble caused by the natural resources stems from these rents. Significantly, natural
resources play a key role in triggering and sustaining conflicts. They are at the peak of the

demand of most people. Maposa (2011), cited that natural resources generate many problems
than other resources
As explained by Maposa, the most resources that causes conflicts in Africa are largely, oil and
gas, diamonds, drugs, gold, platinum, uranium and gemstone, with the likes of timber,
coffee, water, land grazing pastures, livestock, and rubber adding to some of the resources. As
a result many see a resource curse in Africa, whereby the resources has hurt prospects of
many African nation and regional economies by fostering violence and rebellion .Where the
quest for possession of these resources has caused more harm than good to different African
nations.
Maposa also argued that even the colonial era of the African nations was deeply motivated by
the desire of the Western nations to exploit natural resources. European nations were
scrambling for the African nations to acquire recourses hence the name of their movement
was termed scramble for Africa. Europeans nations loot Africans resources, establish
commercial activities such as farming and grabbed most of the land of Africans for farming.
These movements by Europeans led to the liberation struggle by Africans to free themselves
from the Europeans rule and reclaim their recourses. This liberation struggle claimed many
people lives and brought tensions in the African land. In trying to claim their resources
African were killed, displaced from their home land, their livestock were taken by force by
their colonisers who exercised power over them.
African conflicts do not however emanate from external influences only. Often these conflicts
do always erupt from among the Africans themselves. Maposa (2001) suggested that Africans
also fight and conflict for their own resources. In traditional Africa, in Zimbabwe, the Shona
and the Ndebele people once fought for the natural resources. Their conflicts were driven by
the desire to possess territories, grazing pastures for the live stocks and land. Therefore,
resources can be seen as the source of conflicts in Africa, and can be seen as a curse.
Moreover, the abundance of Gold deposits in Zimbabwe has also contributed much to the
existing conflicts seen in the country today. These conflicts are evident between the
government and the people. In the year 2008 the government with its police forces embarked
into an operation which by then was termed Operation Chikorokoza Chapera meaning to
say no more gold panning. Maposa (2001) would like to argue that the operation saw the
police in clashes with angry and starved gold miners who in protest against the operation

were seen throwing some objects to them. Most of the people were jailed, some were injured
and some lost lives.
Despite having an abundance of resources, Africa remains poor due to conflicts, bad
management and mismanagement. In recent times, Africans are seen conflicting amongst
themselves in trying to resolve pertaining issues of fairness in resource allocation. Maposa
(2001) cited that in the 1990s, theoretical literature indicated that there was a correlation
between African countries natural resources endowment and the occurrence of violent civil
wars
Examples of African countries where civil wars are visible as a result of the quest for the
control and possession of resource resources are, Somalia, DRC, Zambia, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, South Sudan, Libya , Madagascar, Kenya, Egypt, Burundi, Rwanda, Nigeria, Sudan
and to a some extent Zimbabwe.
Alabi (2006) suggested that Africa can be described as a continent which is replete with
conflicts. It runs from North to South, East to West and Central. Since 1960, series of civil
wars has taken place in Africa. Examples include Sudan 1995-1990, Chad 1965-1985, Angola
since 1974, Liberia, 1980-2003, Nigeria 1967-1970, Somalia 1989-93, Burundi, Rwanda,
Siera Leone 1991-2001
Harsch (2007:17) mentioned that there is perhaps no known symbol of the link between
Africa resources and conflicts than diamond, evocatively called the blood diamond.
Because they are of high demand, the smuggled easily fetch world markets and can help
buying arms, paying fighters or otherwise sustain military activities. Therefore they the
resources become a curse than a blessing to the Africans.
Harsch 2007 cited that in Nigeria there have been clashes for years over the way which
natural resources are shared for the benefit of the people. The unrest has been stocked by
popular frustrations over poverty, pollution, and heavy handed security tactics. Harsch
pointed out that in Nigeria local residence believe that the government, military, and foreign
oil companies are doing injustice in the allocation of resource especial oil. People know that
they will not be allowed to enjoy the benefit of their oil unless they fight. Therefore, because
of this, conflicts are always visible in Nigeria.
In Angola the cause of war was also the control over the off show crude oil fields. Conflicts
were seen between the rebel of UNITA and the government. The rebels also illegal mined

diamond to sustain their activities. However, Harsch argues that many of the conflicts are
linked to diamond more than any other minerals.
In Sierra Leons decade-long civil war, the fighting was caused by the control over the
countrys diamond fields. Hasrch mentioned that diamond smuggled from Sierra Leone also
helped finance one side in war in neighbouring Liberia as did also the smuggling of timber
and iron ore. Instead of becoming a blessing adding to peace and development to the
Africans, resources can be seen as a curse.
In Zimbabwe, civilians and security forces also clashed for diamonds. When diamonds was
discovered in Manica land in Chief Chiadzwa area, most of the Zimbabwean citizens went
there to extract the precious mineral to try and uplift their standards of living. To protect the
exploitation of resources, the government sent security forces to the area. The security forces
were also accused of looting the mineral for their own benefit. Conflicts arouse between the
people and the police and soldiers. Most of the people lost their lives while others sustained
serious injuries during the clash with the security force in pursuit of diamond known as
Ngoda by the Zimbabweans, Maposa (2011).
Empirical studies assert that, countries whose wealth is largely dependent on exportation of
primary commodities which include agriculture produce and natural resources are highly
prone to civil violence. Maposa (2011) pointed out that such is the situation within African
countries. They highly rely on agricultural produce and natural resources for the sustenance
of their economies
Resources such as live stocks can cause conflicts even at family levels. The sharing of the
deceaseds wealth within the family members can cause conflicts among the closest relatives
of the deceased. In most African countries enermity has emanated between bloodily brothers
due to the unfairness in the distribution of the deceaseds possessions. Filled with a feeling of
being deprived of their rights to have part of their deceased relatives wealth, other African
people decided to relocate to faraway places to avoid conflicts with those who they thought h
ad deprived them of their rights.
In most Shona tribes and families quarrels which at times result into exchanging of blows has
been noticed during the sharing of the deceaseds livestock. In most cases these conflicts
arouse among the sons of the deceased or between the brothers of the deceased and the

children. In this case resources can be seen as curse to the Africans since they disturb
harmony among Africans.
Harsch (2005) pointed out that even if the governments of Africa can be able to control and
manage their resources more transparently and effectively, it will not be of greater impact if
they are not shared equally and widely within African societies. This is because most tensions
which arouse among African are caused by the unfairness in the distribution of resources.
Paradoxically, many areas that have plentiful oil, diamonds or other precious minerals are
also extremely impoverished. Analysts postulate that this poverty is caused by greed African
elite and the leaders who want to get rich through looting the resources hence failing to utilise
the opportunity to develop their nations and improve human standards of living. In protest to
this, the people engage in violent demonstrations and in turn the ruling authorities responded
crossly to these demonstrations. This scenario disturbs peace and stability in the African
continents, and therefore resources could then be then be seen as a curse in this case.
Alabi(2004) diamond had caused much harm than good in the African land, to such an extent
that they ended up been known as The Blood Diamond because they caused bloodshed of
many people. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) there is a place where plenty of
diamond is extracted. The economists of the world called it Diamond Capital of the World.
The name shows that the place contributes much to amount of the diamond mined in the
world.
However, Harsch (2007) argued that Mbuji-Mayi the DRC city where that diamond is mined
is little more than a slum Its province Kasai Oriental has high rate of illiteracy and infant
mortality rate due to lack of transparency in resource allocation. Such in equalities contribute
greatly to social and political tensions across Africa and make it easier for armed forces to
mobilise local support.
In some cases, the concept of revenue sharing has also featured prominently in peace
agreements in Africa. As part of an accord ended a long civil war in Southern Sudan 2003,
the central government and the rebels worked out a detailed agreement in which to share
revenue. This agreement was however violated and therefore tension arouse between the
government and the people. This also led to the formation of rebel groups. With this point in
mind one can be tempted to view resources as a curse to the Africans.

Sharing of resources equal seemed a problem in most Africa countries. In Nigeria, in the
Niger delta, foreign oil companies had however made efforts to make sure that resources
benefit the local communities. They did this through the funding of development projects
such as construction of schools, public infrastructure, and hiring of local people for work
operation. However Alabi (2004) pointed out that although this seemed to sound good, any
out- cry is still heard from the communities who to some extent are still complaining that they
are excluded from these benefits as a result they end protesting and cause instabilities in the
country.
Paul of the World Bank team and his colleagues carried out some researches on conflicts and
resources in Africa had the following to note. There is a strong correlation between the outbreak of conflicts and resources such as gold, diamond and oil in Africa. The World Bank
team noticed that the presence of profitable resources is a factor in the spread of high level
corruption, a big source of conflicts and public resentment. From their research, the World
Bank team also came up with the following discoveries; the very presence of valuable
resources in Africa serves as a curse that generates conflicts which are motivated by the greed
for money and for control over the resources or natural wealth.
However, Harsch (2007) would like to suggest that there are other people who do not agree
with the idea that resources are curse to Africa. Roy OFarrell the director of external affairs
for the De Beers diamond group emphasized that having diamonds or other minerals is not a
curse at all but it all depend on what you do with them. He cited examples of other African
countries which have good governance.
In his examples O Farrell called Botswana a shining example of good governance and
judicious use of diamond revenues. He argued that resources become a curse if they are being
blown and wasted. It needs responsible governance which sees to it that the resources are
contributing to the development of a nations economy. However most of the African
governments are accused of poor governance and corruption which in turn promotes the
existence of conflicts.
Moreover the Officer of Special Advisers for Africa OSSA (2006) pointed out that resources
become a curse if they are not well managed, the curse becomes the people who abuse the
natural resources. Participants of the OSSA 2006 group meeting which was held in Cairo
under the agenda Greed versus Grievances came out with an agreement that the issue of

conflicts is a distortion. They emphasised that people tend to over emphasise the issue of
conflicts as caused by natural resources and rebel activities and thereby ignore the influence
of bad governance. Poor governance and poor management also contributes much to conflicts
and human rights abuses.
Harsch (2007)pointed out that has also been discovered by Paul Richards of the Netherlands
University that although it is visible that rebels and their leaders benefited from the access of
diamond timber ,natural resources young people have however a different reason for joining
the rebels groups. Young people who joined the rebel forces said that they did it in protest to
the abuse by the government authorities and the traditional chiefs who denied them access to
land.
In most countries of Africa as in Ivory Coast people are crying for the abuse of their rights
more than the sharing of the resources. The ruling authorities abuse the rights of their people
and in turn people protest against these actions. Often this is the most catalyst for the arising
of conflicts. With or without resources conflicts are likely to occur.
Others would also like to argue that religion itself can be a source of conflicts that can have
greater impact than resources. In most African countries religion is contributing much to the
conflicts which are at the ground even today. For example, in Nigeria the onslaughts of
Christians by the Muslims are at pick. Religious conflicts may be found in and outside the
religious groups. People conflict for leadership positions and control of church property.
Therefore resources are not only the main cause of conflicts in Africa and cannot be seen as a
curse to the Africans.
To conclude resources can be seen as a curse to Africa in that most of the conflicts which has
been visible and which are visible in Africa are emanating from the quest to owner and
control resources. Poor governance and mismanagement of resources as well as religious
issues are also but to a lesser extent contributing to the rise of conflicts.

REFERENCES
Alabi D.T (2006) Emerging Trends and Dimensions of the Rwanda Crisis, A Journal of
International Affairs and Development, Volume 2.
Bujira A 2002 African Conflicts, Their Causes and Their Political and Social Environment,
Development Policy Management Forum, Ethiopia: Cahill
Harsch A (2007) Resources, Conflicts and Politics in Africa, Weston: Weston Publishers
Maposa B.S (2011) Natural Resources and Conflicts, Pretoria: Africa Institute of South
Africa
Ricklefs R.E (2005) The Economy of Nature 6th Edition, NY: New York WH Freeman
Salim S (1999) Explaining the Resource Curse in Africa, Siege Publishers