Traditional african conflict prevention and transformation methods. Indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms in africa. Traditional mechanisms of conflict resolution in ethiopia giday degefu koraro ethiopian international institute for peace and development, 2000 conflict management 204 pages. This paper examines african conflicts and the roles of the african union au in conflict resolution, focusing on the recent zimbabwe and kenya conflicts.
Click download or read online button to get traditional mechanisms of conflict resolution in ethiopia book now. He identifies five different methodologies practices that can lead to conflict resolution that are modern. I use original geocoded survey data and historical spatial information on precolonial burundi to analyze this hypothesis. A mechanism for traditional conflict resolution in modern botswana. It has been used to prevent and resolve many violent conflicts in africa. Right now, the au is the best option to resolve a conflict that has killed more than 70,000 and displaced some 1. Traditional methods of dispute resolution in africa. Existence of traditional conflict resolution mechanisms such as negotiation, reconciliation, mediation and others is evidence that these concepts are not new in africa. Traditional african dispute resolution tadr mechanisms.
The case of abunzi mediators traditional authority and modern hegemony. This practice as a conflict resolution tool will be the focus of this paper and the following pages will examine the viability of traditional african dance as an alternative to more conventional conflict resolution methods as well as how the two approaches differ on a very basic, cultural level. Africa as a continent is endowed with enough resources to keep the world moving for years. It concludes that traditional conflict resolution techniques such as mediation, adjudication, reconciliation, and negotiation as well ascross examination which were employed by africans in the past, offer great prospects for peaceful coexistence and harmonious relationships in post conflict periods than the modern method of litigation. Fig 1 is a model of how westerners often perceive conflict and its resolution. Traditional conflict resolution processes are part of a wellstructured, timeproven social system geared towards reconciliation, maintenance and improvement of social relationships.
Among other things, traditional processes show that leaders and elders must be genuinely concerned about the welfare of the people. The major goal of this study was to assess the role of indigenous institutions in handling settling conflicts in the kembata people in kembatatembaro zone in the southern nations, nationalities and peoples regional state snnprs. It will also serve as a source of information and catalyst for further studies. Institutionalising traditional dispute resolution mechanisms and other community justice systems v kariuki muigua, ph. A viable alternative for peace building process in modern africa 8 opposition to the old definition of peace as the absence of war. Sources of conflict and methods of conflict resolution ron fisher, ph. Approaches to conflict resolution, as applied to international environmental disputes, include negotiation, mediation and arbitration. It appears on the list of journals accredited by the south african department of education. With african conflicts eluding efforts to be controlled, this work is guided by the question. Traditional mechanisms of resolving conflicts over land. Jeanemmanuel pondi, international relations institute of cameroon iric as the title suggests, the purpose of this book is to explore traditional african methods. The role of traditional leaders in conflict management in.
Peacemaking in the afar region of ethiopia from war to peace and reconciliation in darfur, sudan. Principles of conflict resolution in traditional african societies in the precolonial days, there were many principles guiding conflict resolution in the traditional african societies. West africa, traditional con flict resolution, method, indigenous patterns, dispute, culture, mediator, spiritual dimension, agreement. Module 1 nature and causes of conflict in african society unit 1 sources of conflict in traditional african society.
The major issue that the study examines is the role of igad in resolving the somali conflict. After a trip to assess humanitarian crises in some of the worlds most troubled nations, u. It concludes that traditional conflict resolution techniques such as mediation, adjudication, reconciliation, and negotiation as well as cross examination which were employed by africans in the. Indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms urge parties to abandon their old feuds and live amicably in tolerance mwagira, 1999. Conflict management group cmg is dedicated to improving the methods of negotiation, conflict resolution, and cooperative decisionmaking as applied to issues of public concern. Traditional community methods could provide solutions to. Up to now, traditional approaches to conflict transformation have not been adequately addressed by scholarly research and political practice. A study of the barolong people of the northwest province. But in much of the rest of the continent we have weak. Conflict, conflict prevention, conflict management and beyond. The paper notes that conflict resolution in traditional african societies provides opportunity to interact with the parties concerned, it promotes consensusbuilding, social bridge. What made the negotiations in south africa to succeed was, among other things, the continuous existence of a strong state. The role of traditional rulers in conflict prevention and mediation in nigeria. An appraisal is my own work and that all the sources that i have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references.
The paper notes that conflict resolution in traditional african societies provides opportunity to interact with the parties concerned, it promotes consensusbuilding, social bridge reconstructions. African traditional mechanisms of conflict prevention, management and resolution were largely effective and respected, and their decisions were binding on all parties, mainly because the identity of an individual is linked to that of his or her family and these families are formed by the acceptance of marriage alliances. Indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms among the kembata. Conflict resolution in african countries politics essay. The use of traditional communications in conflict management. They also indicate that the parties involved must be given ample opportunities.
Revisiting conflict resolution the second, conceptual, section discusses on the basis of the three case studies a number of recurrent assumptions in the field of conflict resolution related specifically to i participation issues, ii the problem of the root causes, iii the question of timing, iv the neutrality of third parties, v the. Hybrid violent conflicts, hybrid political orders many of todays largescale violent conflicts in the global south cannot be perceived as conventional wars any longer. South africa and conflict resolution in africa 27 that made the negotiated settlement possible do not exist elsewhere shillinger 2009, solomon 2010. Pdf methods of conflict resolution in african traditional society. Conflict is defined as the underlying issue in dispute between or among parties and conflict resolution as the elimination of causes of the underlying conflict. This article examines the efficacy of indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms in grappling with myriad of conflicts that have ravaged the continent of africa, and draws out lessons for the nigerian state. The paper notes that conflict resolution in traditional african societies provides opportunity to interact with the parties concerned, it promotes consensusbuilding, social bridge reconstructions and enactment of. Land resource is very crucial in any production within a society whereby. Since the process is geared toward the future, opportunities are provided for remorse. Methods of conflict resolution in african traditional. Study units there are twentyfive study units in this course and they are. In the case of internal conflicts, all the three communities adopted very similar, if not identical, mechanisms, methods and procedures. The african indigenous methods of dispute resolution places emphasis on the community and parties to the conflict, as opposed to the individuals in conflict.
Monica matavire lecturer in citizenship and conflict transformation bindura university of science education zimbabwe abstract this article describes the zimbabwean traditional jurisprudence in relation to conflict resolution. The paper notes that conflict resolution in traditional african societies provides opportunity to interact with the parties concerned, it promotes consensusbuilding, social bridge reconstructions and enactment of order in the society. In conclusion, having done this crosssection on traditional african dispute resolution tadr mechanisms, i am of the view that conflict resolution is a dynamic process. Although its powers have diminished over recent decades, this institution is well respected by the oromo society at large in. Methods of conflict resolution in african traditional society. Indigenous conflict resolution in africa by birgit brockutne university of oslo a draft presented to the weekend seminar on indigenous solutions to conflicts held at the university of oslo, institute for educational research 23 24 of february 2001. This article will address the issue of conflict, how it was dealt with in traditional african culture, the methods of communication both in traditional and modern uganda and the question of rights and responsibilities in promoting cross cultural amity. There also exist various traditional institutions in the country that have their own customary methods of settling con.
The methods, processes and regulations are deeply rooted in the customs. Traditional mechanisms of conflict resolution in ethiopia. Therefore, there is a gap on the traditional mechanisms for resolving conflict particularly land conflict in tanzania. Traditional methods of conflict resolution intertribal conflicts were resolved through negotiations and compromises so that peaceful relations could be restored. Traditional leaders play a vital role in local and grassroots communities in relation to socioeconomic development and the administration of justice in the modern political system. Positive peace according to gultang johan, a professor of peace studies, is a social condition in which exploitation has been eliminated and overt violence has ceased, including. This study examined the patterns or mechanism for conflict resolution in traditional african societies with particular reference to yoruba and igbo societies in nigeria and pondo tribe in south africa. The most common conflict resolution approaches or mechanisms include peace negotiations, mediation andor facilitation, traditional or ineigenous methods, peace agreements and their implementations and. The au has so far displayed a genuine will to resolve african conflicts, unlike the oau which stood by with the. The research was conducted in kedida gamelo woreda and it was purposively selected. Land, in a majority of the cases was communally owned and control of land left almost.
The methods, processes and regulations are deeply rooted in the customs and traditions of peoples of africa. The features of indigenous conflict resolution in african societies included performance stance. Over the years, there have developed inter group conflict over land. Greater use of traditional community based systems, such as elders arbitration councils, could help resolve long standing conflicts between communities in east africa, minority rights group. Senator jeff merkley said he concluded that a matrix of conflict, corruption and climate chaos is driving one of the biggest periods of displacement in modern history. Indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms have preexisting values and rules, forgiving one another. But it is desperately short of capacity and resources, and much more remains to be done. The role of regional and international organizations in. Pdf african union, conflict, and conflict resolution in. Conflicts and causes of conflicts in africa project. Cultural processes of conflict resolution in ghana traditional conflict resolution is a structured political, judicial and arbitration mechanism. African conflict resolution united states institute of peace. With the proliferation of light arms, such methods of defence have now been overtaken, and almost all cattle owners have now acquired deadly automatic rifles. Traditional modes of conflict resolution remain strong where they have been internalized over centuries.
Methods in african traditional conflict resolution the methods of performing conflict resolution in the traditional african societies, though with variations across the ethnic groups, are. Interrogating the zimbabwean traditional jurisprudence and. Land conflict, traditional conflict resolution mechanisms, gorowa, tanzania introduction the vital importance of land issues to social and economic development in africa is unquestionable. It discusses ways to overcome the difference between customary and statutory approaches in conflict resolution. Indigenous approaches to conflict resolution in africa sryahwa. Pcr831 african traditional methods of conflict resolution iii all the components of the course are listed and explained below. These projects are in collaboration with cecore and endorois welfare council ewc, holding training workshops on peace building and conflict resolution. Neither are they clashes between states, nor are they conventional. It can also be said to be an incompatibility, as of two things that cannot be simultaneously fulfilled. Conflict occurs between people in all kinds of human relationships and in all social settings. A comparative study of traditional conflict resolution methods in liberia and ghana christianradu chereji charles wratto king christianradu chereji, director, conflict studies center charles wratto king, associate researcher, conflict studies center conflict studies quarterly issue 5, october 20, pp.
A comparative study of traditional conflict resolution methods in liberia and ghana christianradu chereji charles wratto king christianradu chereji, director, conflict studies center. The first part of this working paper attempts to put together the traditional justice mechanisms of the communities that have been affected by the conflict and those that have not been affected by the conflict. Conflict resolution and peace buildind in africa as a. Endalcachew bayeh et al traditional conflict resolution as a better option to court proceeding. This is because the understanding of the type of causes and actors will be a very useful tool for that purpose. It concludes that traditional conflict resolution techniques such as mediation, adjudication, reconciliation, and negotiation as well as cross examination which were. The commonly used type of mediation in african conflict is regional organisationled mediation processes. This text identifies contributions of traditional mechanisms for conflict management in africa and elsewhere. Realistic conflict resolution in africa would do well to draw on the wisdom of proverbs whose probing capacity could untangle the underlying causes, patterns, trends and possible resolution strategies.
Indigenous systems of conflict resolution in oromia, ethiopia. So if africa has to put the falling apart together, her original values must be re. Since the beginning of life in kidepo valley, there have been as many attempts and practices of peacemaking as there have been wars over resources in the region. This period was marked with definite systems of dispute resolution peculiar to each kenyan community. Pdf conflict management in traditional african society. The four contributors to the conflict resolution theme are all outstanding researchers in the field of environmental decisionmaking. The first is the newly established africa union au, the organisation launched in 2002 to replace the discredited organization of african unity oau. Indigenous conflict resolution in africa citeseerx. The case of the organisation of african unity oau author. Traditional conflict resolution mechanism is a social capital, defined as the capability of social norms and customs to hold members of a group together by effectively setting and facilitating the terms of their relationship sustainability facilitates collective action for achieving mutually beneficial ends fredmensah, 2005.
Methods in african traditional conflict resolution. This site is like a library, use search box in the. Introduction mediation is a major intervention tool in africa. I, ntumba kapinga, declare that, the role of southern african development community sadc in conflict resolution in the democratic republic of congo drc 19982003. Thus traditional approaches to reconciliation and conflict resolution existed among these communities from time immemorial. The method of data analysis which involved giving qualitative description to quantitative information brings simplicity and coherence to the work. Long before africa was colonised, and way beyond the advent of slave trade, african societies had institutional mechanisms as well as cultural sources to uphold. A substantial body of literature has been added to our academic libraries predominantly by scholars from the western societies. Public conflicts and ineffective means for dealing with them lead to wasted resources, social instability, reduced investment, chronic underdevelopment, and loss of life.
The role of traditional rulers in conflict prevention and. Conflict can be defined as a clash or disagreement often violent between opposing groups or individuals. In the same way as the analysis of violent conflict has to overcome a statecentric perspective, so have the approaches to the control of violence and the nonviolent conduct of conflict. Conflict resolution and peace buildind in africa as a process. Traditional approaches to conflict transformation potentials and limits volker boege 1. This study examined the patterns or mechanism for conflict resolution in traditional african societies with particular reference to yoruba and igbo societies in. Nov 15, 2014 in conclusion, having done this crosssection on traditional african dispute resolution tadr mechanisms, i am of the view that conflict resolution is a dynamic process. Land disputes in kenya stem back from the precolonial period. Major features of indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms. Ndebele traditional crisis resolution and phases follow more or less the same developments, conflict is precipitated by a conflict of interest, if one party to the conflict challenges and the other resists a conflict or crisis ensue. In september 2009, mrg conflict prevention head chris chapman traveled to kampala, uganda, and nakuru, kenya to meet with cso representatives working on issues of conflict in the regions. Pdf on sep 21, 2015, adeyemi johnson ademowo and others published conflict.
A synthesis of customary and statutory system of conflict resolution may facilitate a better understanding that will lead to improved. Indigenous approaches to conflict resolution in africa. Those who want their conflicts resolved must have confidence in the tribunal that would resolve the dispute. Marvin nii ankrah author year 20 pages 82 catalog number v231798 file size 800 kb language english tags the organisation of african unity oau economic community of west african states ecowas conflict resolution model multisectoral approach sub. Nigeria, organised by the center for peace research and conflict resolution, national war college, abuja, september, 1998, p. Traditional conflict resolution mechanisms and institutions. Case study of the kanye kgotla piwane constance moumakwa masters thesis in philosophy of peace and conflict transformation faculty of humanities, social sciences and education university of tromso autumn 2010. The concept paper series is the joint centers paper series addressing topics and concepts of foremost importance for understanding the dynamics of.
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