Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 15, No. 9, September 2024 | pp. 73–81

DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150901

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: The Political Economy of Transitional Justice: Evaluating Corporate Accountability for Financial Extortion during the Sierra Leonean Civil War

Authors: Kofi Kwakwa¹, Ziad H. Al-Rifai²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; ²Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Media Studies, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

Abstract:
Transitional justice initiatives heavily prioritize documenting state human rights abuses, while routinely ignoring corporate complicity in financial crimes and illegal resource extraction during civil conflicts. This paper evaluates the structural limitations of post-conflict Sierra Leone's reconciliation models concerning the prosecution of commercial diamond extraction networks that actively financed mercenary violence. Utilizing comprehensive legal archival datasets, mining concession tax records, and human rights databases from 2002 to 2023, we measure the long-term socioeconomic impacts of omitting corporate accountability from early peace agreements. The quantitative analysis reveals that industrial mining businesses that profited from resource extraction avoided financial restitution, leaving structural economic imbalances uncorrected. Our statistical models demonstrate that regions with high historical corporate mineral capture report a 40% increase in localized social protests and artisanal labor disputes. The study concludes that traditional transitional justice frameworks fail to foster deep reconciliation when they ignore economic violations. We argue that modern democratic stability requires integrating binding corporate accountability frameworks directly into transitional justice mechanisms.

Keywords: Political Economy; Transitional Justice; Corporate Accountability; Sierra Leone; Diamond Extortion; Structural Inequality

Manuscript Timeline: Received: June 10, 2022; Revised: August 20, 2022; Accepted: October 15, 2022; Published: September 12, 2024

Citation: Kwakwa, K., & Al-Rifai, Z. H. (2024). The Political Economy of Transitional Justice: Evaluating Corporate Accountability for Financial Extortion during the Sierra Leonean Civil War. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 15(9), 73–81. DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150901

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2023 | pp. 64–72

DOI: 10.46882/2023/GJPCS/140801

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: The Geopolitics of Transnational Commercial Cyber-Surveillance Networks: Assessing Structural Exploitations of Civic Communication Systems

Authors: Alexei V. Volkov¹, Nadia M. Al-Shari²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Information Security, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia; ²School of Computing and Informatics, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract:
The unmonitored sale of advanced, commercial-grade digital hacking software has redefined the nature of international intelligence collection and domestic political suppression. This article investigates the structural distribution lines of offensive cyber-surveillance systems across emerging regimes, analyzing how zero-click exploit applications are used against civil society. Utilizing digital forensic tracking data collected from compromised devices alongside international legal frameworks, we map out intrusion patterns recorded between 2021 and 2023. The forensic evidence demonstrates that these software packages bypass smartphone security without requiring user interaction, creating severe operational hazards for investigative journalists and political opposition figures. Quantitative vulnerability indicators reveal that regimes deploying foreign-sourced commercial spyware show a 55% reduction in public accountability scores and a sharp increase in extrajudicial tracking operations. The research highlights the complete failure of existing national export controls to regulate the digital arms trade. We conclude that protecting transnational human rights requires establishing an international legal architecture that imposes strict liability on technology companies selling offensive surveillance tools to repressive states.

Keywords: Digital Espionage; Commercial Spyware; Human Rights; Forensic Tracking; Cyber-Surveillance; State Suppression

Manuscript Timeline: Received: August 14, 2021; Revised: November 02, 2021; Accepted: January 28, 2020; Published: August 15, 2023

Citation: Volkov, A. V., & Al-Shari, N. M. (2023). The Geopolitics of Transnational Commercial Cyber-Surveillance Networks: Assessing Structural Exploitations of Civic Communication Systems. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 14(8), 64–72. DOI: 10.46882/2023/GJPCS/140801

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 15, No. 8, August 2024 | pp. 64–72

DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150801

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: The Geopolitics of Transnational Mass Surveillance Architectures: Assessing Structural Violations of Encrypted Civic Communications

Authors: Alexei V. Volkov¹, Nadia M. Al-Shari²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Information Security, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia; ²School of Computing and Informatics, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract:
The global proliferation of automated mass-communications interception platforms has redefined the nature of state intelligence gathering and compromised public communication networks. This article explores how state intelligence agencies deploy advanced deep-packet inspection technologies to monitor national telecom networks, analyzing the structural impacts of these practices on public media outlets and political dissent. Using an analytical framework that combines network infrastructure routing maps with international human rights law, we analyze mass interception campaigns documented between 2022 and 2024 across multiple continents. The technical evidence demonstrates that deploying centralized interception systems systematically compromises public data privacy without judicial oversight, creating severe operational hazards for civic networks and legal professionals. Quantitative vulnerability models show that states utilizing unmonitored mass-surveillance platforms experience a 62% reduction in press freedom scores and a sharp increase in arbitrary political detentions. We conclude that protecting transnational human rights requires establishing strict international legal mechanisms that criminalize the unmonitored export of offensive communications interception technologies.

Keywords: Mass Surveillance; Deep-Packet Inspection; Telecom Architectures; Encrypted Communications; Democratic Dissent; Press Freedom

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 12, 2022; Revised: August 20, 2022; Accepted: October 05, 2022; Published: August 15, 2024

Citation: Volkov, A. V., & Al-Shari, N. M. (2024). The Geopolitics of Transnational Mass Surveillance Architectures: Assessing Structural Violations of Encrypted Civic Communications. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 15(8), 64–72. DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150801

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 15, No. 6, June 2024 | pp. 46–54

DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150601

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Youth Radicalization, Carceral Subcultures as Extremist Incubation Hubs, and the Structural Limitations of Modern Penal Reforms in Central Asia

Authors: Aigul N. Sadykova¹, Tariq H. Al-Sabahi²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of International Relations, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan; ²Department of Political Science, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

Abstract:
This study investigates the structural dynamics of violent extremist recruitment within carceral institutions across Central Asia, evaluating the long-term efficacy of state-sponsored rehabilitation and de-radicalization initiatives. Employing a comprehensive qualitative policy review alongside detailed behavioral case profiles of 82 former detainees, we analyze how high-security prison systems function as spaces for radical ideological transmission. The empirical evidence demonstrates that overcrowding, severe administrative isolation, and abusive disciplinary practices create an environment where vulnerable, non-violent offenders are rapidly integrated into sophisticated extremist networks. Quantitative indicators establish that states relying primarily on high-security carceral containment show a 55% higher recidivism rate among former inmates compared to states integrating community-based open rehabilitation pathways. The research highlights how current counter-radicalization frameworks fail because they focus heavily on theological re-education while ignoring the structural drivers of alienation: widespread economic exclusion and systemic judicial corruption. We conclude that sustainable security sector reform requires decoupling low-risk offenders from radical inmate populations and expanding post-release employment support structures.

Keywords: Youth Radicalization; Carceral Subcultures; Central Asia; De-Radicalization; Penal Reform; Recidivism

Manuscript Timeline: Received: April 15, 2022; Revised: July 05, 2022; Accepted: August 14, 2022; Published: June 15, 2024

Citation: Sadykova, A. N., & Al-Sabahi, T. H. (2024). Youth Radicalization, Carceral Subcultures as Extremist Incubation Hubs, and the Structural Limitations of Modern Penal Reforms in Central Asia. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 15(6), 46–54. DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150601

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 15, No. 7, June 2024 | pp. 55–63

DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150701

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: The Impact of Regional Security Assistance Coalitions on Local Stabilization: A Comparative Analysis of SAMIM Operations in Cabo Delgado

Authors: Sibusiso K. Khumalo¹, Marie-Therese Haddad²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Public Law, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; ²Department of Conflict and Development Studies, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

Abstract:
The Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) operates within an asymmetric security environment where multinational forces face fluid networks of localized insurgent factions. This paper evaluates the operational effectiveness of SAMIM's security assistance mandate, focusing on the structural limits of regional versus localized force deployments from 2021 to 2023. Drawing on field data and key informant interviews with 44 local community leaders and international aid workers, we analyze the tactical constraints limiting regional military interventions. The findings reveal that while concentrated international deployments protect immediate gas infrastructure hubs, they leave surrounding agricultural zones exposed to predatory militia raids. Statistical analysis indicates that rural territories dependent on distant static security garrisons report a 48% higher rate of community displacement following localized skirmishes. The study demonstrates that a lack of coordinated language-translation capacity, combined with severe vehicle maintenance backlogs, prevents proactive patrolling beyond major processing plants. We conclude that enhancing civilian safety requires transforming regional security frameworks to prioritize highly mobile, decentralized tactical units.

Keywords: SAMIM Operations; Cabo Delgado; Regional Stabilization; Asymmetric Warfare; Security Assistance; Insurgency

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 02, 2022; Revised: July 28, 2022; Accepted: September 15, 2022; Published: June 20, 2024

Citation: Khumalo, S. K., & Haddad, M. T. (2024). The Impact of Regional Security Assistance Coalitions on Local Stabilization: A Comparative Analysis of SAMIM Operations in Cabo Delgado. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 15(7), 55–63. DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150701

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 15, No. 5, May 2024 | pp. 37–45

DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150501

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: The Political Economy of Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Assessing the Impact of Large-Scale Commercial Real Estate Demarcation on Indigenous Communities in Angola

Authors: Sibusiso K. Khumalo¹, Jean-Louis Dupont²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Public Law, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; ²Centre de Recherches Internationales, Sciences Po, Paris, France

Abstract:
Post-conflict states frequently prioritize selling natural resource and urban land concessions to attract foreign direct investment and generate immediate tax revenues for state rebuilding projects. This paper examines the long-term socioeconomic outcomes of this development model in urbanizing Angola, evaluating how modern commercial zoning concessions impact peripheral land tenure and local community stability. Utilizing extensive spatial mapping software combined with localized household wealth surveys conducted between 2021 and 2023, we measure the structural shifts in municipal land ownership patterns. The quantitative analysis reveals that large-scale state allocations of peri-urban land to international corporate syndicates have displaced substantial numbers of smallholder families, creating deep-seated socio-economic grievances. Our regression models establish that administrative districts with high corporate land concentration show a 42% increase in localized land tenure disputes and higher relative deprivation indices. The study demonstrates that prioritizing elite-driven commercial investment without safeguarding traditional communal land rights accelerates rural-urban migration and exacerbates social polarization. We argue that sustainable post-conflict reconstruction requires establishing strict legal frameworks that protect traditional property ownership and mandate inclusive local profit-sharing.

Keywords: Political Economy; Post-Conflict Reconstruction; Real Estate Demarcation; Land Tenure; Angola; Structural Inequality

Manuscript Timeline: Received: March 12, 2022; Revised: May 28, 2022; Accepted: July 19, 2022; Published: May 20, 2024

Citation: Khumalo, S. K., & Dupont, J. L. (2024). The Political Economy of Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Assessing the Impact of Large-Scale Commercial Real Estate Demarcation on Indigenous Communities in Angola. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 15(5), 37–45. DOI: 10.46882/2024/GJPCS/150501