From Rebel to Humanitarian: Military Savoir Faire and Humanitarian Practice in Eastern DR Congo

Abstract

This article explores the experience of ex-rebels who have become humanitarians in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It describes how rebel-cum-humanitarians navigate a turbulent political environment, integrating the knowledge they acquired through military experience into a career in the humanitarian sector. 'Distinction' between combatants and humanitarians remains central to the humanitarian imaginary. However, rebel and humanitarian spheres are interlinked by individuals who do not just broker relationships between the two, but also move between them. They walk a tightrope: their rebel past is seen as a threat to performing a 'neutral' humanitarian identity, but at the same time, it constitutes a resource in brokering access with armed groups. Despite a focus on performing principles, humanitarian agencies in practice draw on their employees' savoir faire which is sometimes gained through rebel experience -the very identity deemed antithetical to a humanitarian status. This research was funded by the ESRC Doctoral Training Programme and the St John's College Oxford 450th Anniversary Fund Scholarship. I would like to thank David James, Louisa Lombard, Faith Cowling and Tom Scott-Smith, as well as the three anonymous reviewers, for their insightful feedback on earlier versions of this article. Finally, I am indebted to everyone who took the time to talk to me, and in particular to Faustin, Imani and Gloire for their patience and generosity. Any errors remain my own. 1. All names of individuals have been changed.

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