Ahimsa, Peacemaking and Conflict Prevention: An Overview and Critical Analysis
By Ms. Malchi Opule Orondo
Before tackling peacemaking and conflict prevention and management one must thoroughly understand the real causes of the menace first. We have suffered violence in our domestic households, clans and communities, schools and institutions, tribal or ethnic (one tribe fighting another) or in political groups. To a larger extent we have seen violence pitting a region or a country against another. The list is long and cannot be exhausted. Such conflicts and violence have resulted in massive losses of life, property, creation of poverty, displacement of persons, mental disorders, maiming and amputations.
This important international conference has come at the right time when violence and conflict are at their highest and unless something is done now, we may plunge into a major catastrophe worse than the second World War.
Causes of Violence and Conflicts : The following are the main causes of violence and conflicts which we must understand and address properly to curb the menace.
Taboos, superstitions and some cultural and spiritual beliefs promote violence among tribes or groups.
Overpopulation, poverty and illiteracy.
Aids scourge killing parents-creating orphans who become parking boys who turn violent due to lack of education and income.
(1) (i) Poor governance - oppressive, grabbing land, acquiring wealth illegally, corruption, excess power and materialism, denying women freedom of expression. In 90% of Mrican countries political leaders are dictators who never want to give demo cracya chance. They suppress their subjects to accept their imposed policies. People are never given a chance to express themselves. This grows into gradual tension which consequently explodes into big civil wars which become difficult or impossible to quell.
This type of violence has affected many countries of the world e.g. Romania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Yugosalavia, Philippines and Central Mrica Republic.
(ii) Divisive politics by selfish leaders for survival
(iii) Inequality in national development and biased distribution of national resources
(iv) Irresponsible political statements telling people lies
Tribalism, racism and nepotism in public offices.
Bad attitude towards certain members of a community.
Lack of openness to discuss and communicate freely to understand one another's feelings. Hence, it is difficult to detect early warning signs of an impending violence.
(a) External influence by foreigners - arming quarrelling communities to take arms and fight against each other.
(b) Aping of foreign ideologies alien to local cultures and socio-economic requirements
Casteism.
Customary marriage requirements. This is probably the worst cause of domestic violence the world over. It is a cultural requirement highly honoured by many tribes and races and it affects so much because it is permanently attached to our daily life and reproduction.
Although Christianity has helped simplify marriage rituals, most tribes worldwide still follow customary marriage. In Africa most marriages are governed by traditional or customary rituals. There are cases of forced marriages, forced circumcision to women, marrying off daughters to old people as concubines, widows being forced to remarry their in-laws. etc. In India it is the girl's parents who give dowry to the man's parents. This has made girls very unpopular in Indian families because giving birth to a girl means wealth going out of the family. A wife bearing baby girls continuously is bad news in an India family and this creates tension which builds gradually until it explodes into a serious domestic violence resulting into divorce, separation or loss of lives. Most of it the customary obligations mentioned above in the end result into serious domestic fights or violence which at times escalate in bigger conflicts pushing communities into bigger conflicts.
Bad blood and animosity between particular tribes due to hatred, dislike of one's culture, pride, status in community or political standing. These can brew a serious tension resulting in big tribal violence. A good example is the present fighting between the smaller Yoruba tribe and the larger Hausa in Nigeria where about 100 people have been massacred. Some tribes intimidate others due to their numbers.
Lack of early warning signs:
Most peacemakers learn of conflicts when it is already too late. There should be a machinery to detect such violence long before they happen.
Lack of effective regional and Peace Reconcilliation machinery in place.
We lack such bodies in Africa therefore a small conflict degenerates into a long full scale war killing millions of people. OAU should play this role in Africa. If there were such a body in Africa, the Rwanda genocide of 1994 where extremist Hutus massacred one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus could not have occurred. Rwanda's Vice President Paul Kagame got annoyed by the UN claiming that they knew of the impending genocide six months earlier but simply left it to happen.
To prove his anger on UN's negligence Mr. Kagame kicked the UN out of Rwanda in protest. If the UN were a regional African body probably they could have felt obliged to diffuse it at an early stage.
Massive production of arms and easy access to arms e.g. the shooting of students in a High School in, USA in 1999.
Conflict between religion and customary Law. This has created a long protracted conflict in many parts of the world. The two have been fighting openly for control and dominance in social values.
Rigidity to change - attitude
Economic hardships and poverty
This is a major cause of domestic violence especially in the Third world countries where family financial earnings are marginal. Most couples find it impossible to afford two meals a day. This puts a lot of pressure on couples. In some cases women become unfaithful to husbands in trying to make ends meet. Many men have hacked their wives to death for infidelity.
Traditional family values- extended family
Long ago there used to be values which helped to hold families together by people sharing ideas between families. These are no longer there and people are self-centred and dogmatic and refuse to heed the right advice.
A family with squabbles grooms a child to know and love violence. A quarrelling family has no discipline and a peaceful foundation for the youth. Our family which is the foundation for a peaceful society is in CRISIS!
The current socio-economic changes e.g. misconceived gender equality have undermined men's roles in families i.e. women's economic power and freedom has rendered men powerless. Men have responded with violence battering their wives and children to death!
Quick loss of temper - is a major factor for violence.
Greed for money and property has overpowered minds of the modern family. Hence there is no time to share with others.
Men and women drink the whole day and night and have no time for the family. When a conflict erupts in the family, the couple accuses each other instead of addressing the problem to get a solution.
Lack of self-examination and ability to recognise, appreciate and accept one another's views as the correct version grow into tension leading violence.
Violence in Schools in Kenya : Recently there have been ugly incidents of students burning prefects and their colleagues in boarding school dormitories. Four prefects were burnt to death at Nyeri High Schools in May, 1999.
Other violent actions like male students storming girls' boarding schools have been rampant in Kenya for quite sometime. At Hawinga Girls in 1992 where 20 girls were raped at night. At St. Kozito Girls Secondary School, Meru, Kenya in 1993 where rampant raping of girls occurred. In June, 1998 at Bombolulu Girls Secondary School unknown assailants burnt 25 girls to death in a dormitory, the school was closed and the survivors transferred to other schools.
Our Research reveals the following as major causes of violence in schools:
Drug abuse by student
Influence of foreign media on the youth
Discontent among students on certain issues
Influence of fellow students from rich or indiscipline families
Lack of discussion of students' problems which cause tension resulting in student violence. If you have someone to tell your problems and frustration you get relieved.
Lack of role models. An example is Starehe Boys High School where Mr. Griffins is a role model. In most schools students see their teachers poor, drunk, untidy.
Lack of patronage and counselling by parents, religious leaders and teachers
Most parents are completely detached from their childern whom they send to distant boarding schools, leaving a very big gap for the students to fill their minds with bad influence.
Lack of mentors for a student to go to explain his/her problems especially at adolescence
Lack of a suggestion forum or platform where students can speak out their minds to be heard by the school's authority
Old communal upbringing of children allowed other family members - grannies, aunties, etc. to mould a child. Grannies moulded children by teaching through stories, family cohesion roots and moral lessons. Due to changing times this is no longer there and every family is being brought up differently in isolation.
Due to electronic media and outside influence the youth know much more than what their parents expect them to know. Parents must recognise this and be able to discuss/share with them, understand them. Most parents assume that their children are empty minded. Some illiterate parents are scared of their learned children and cannot advise them.
Parents MUST be able to understand the world from their children's perspective and start correcting them from their point of view i.e. what they know and do.
No standard manual to guide modern parents how to raise children properly in this changing society. Children say to parents "It is old fashioned."
In boarding schools children from diverse backgrounds mix and live together.
Long separation from working parents creates vacuum hence they ape peers as their examples or models. Parents are primary educators of their children and they fail to fulfil their obligation.
Students should be listened to if they want to talk even if it is nonsense. Most students interviewed said "WE WANT OUR VIEWS TO BE HEARD TOO". In cases where prefects were burnt to death, it was found out that some students had other frustrations and stress which had built into tension only waiting for ignition to spark off into violence.
Some students have tension due to their poor performance or strict school rules. Some complain that prefects are given excessive powers even to punish or suspend them. Teachers are normally away from schools. Hence students have nowhere to seek redress.
Bullying breeds hatred and violence.
Abrupt change in life occurs when one joins school and during the long absence of parents the child gets influenced strangers who teach him/her different behaviour and due to long absence of the parents such a student will have completely undergone a permanent change in behaviour which mates him rebel against the parents, advice.
There is an unfilled gap in conformity with the changing social life in our society vis-a-vis education system. Students are hardly consulted when collective activities are planned.
Examples of Regional and International Violence & Conflict Sports : After identifying the major root causes of violence and conflict it is better to look at the violence and conflict - prone areas and suggest possible steps towards solution.
As we have witnessed, violence and conflict start from relatively small issues and then they grow into massive long protracted wars involving big losses of lives, property and displacement of millions of refugees. The following are examples of conflict areas:
1. Somalia : Somalia has undergone a serious large scale conflict which resulted in serious inter clan fighting and killing which displaced thousands of refugees into Kenya between 1989 to 1955. Even now Somalia has no government and warlords are still fighting among themselves. Somalia has 102 tribes and every tribe wants to have its own government and declare unilateral Republic. The main cause here is greed and selfishness for political gains. Up to now children being born in Somalia have never known the word Peace.
2. Sudan Civil War North Vs South : The 25-year-old conflict has had the worst devastating effects. In this millions of lives have been lost pitting the southern black christian against the Northern Arab moslems. This war is very dangerous because it is discriminatory. The moslem Government wants to impose Sheria Law on the Southerners. The results are devastating. Children don't go to school. Millions are starving to death but these political leaders just enjoy fighting and maintaining that they are right. Foreign Governments, instead of trying .to mediate are busy selling arms to the two groups. What a disaster it is! For how long shall we keep losing lives, suffering amputation of limbs, and refugees.
3. Liberia : Fought a long fierce civil war from 1988 to 1996 which killed one million people, destroyed the country's economy totally, dismantled the government system and displaced millions of refugees. Destroyed children by using them as child soldiers.
4. Mozambique & Angola : These two countries suffered serious civil wars (lasting immediately after they gained independence more than 10 years). Mozambique war killed 1/2 million people and Angola 1 million. Angola peace later failed and now Savimbi has resumed fighting again. In Angola there is still no hope for peace.
5. Iran/Iraq War : This was another long war which was fought without proper cause for 9 years. The cause of this conflict was that USA was discontented by Islamic leadership in Iran when Shah was overthrown and Islamic leadership was introduced under Ayatollah Ruhollah Knomeini. So USA supported Iraq to fight Iran to finish Islamic leadership.
6. Israeli Palestinian Conflict : This is a permanent scar in the world of peace which worries all world leaders. Nobody knows the formula of a solution yet.
7. Rwanda & Burundi : This is another boiling spot in Africa which is dominated by two tribes. TUTSIS and HUTUS who are archrivals. In 1994 April the genocide in Rwanda hatched and planned by HUTUS resulted in massacre of one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus by Hutu extremists. This has left a permanent incurable scar in the minds of the surviving Tutsis. Hutus fled into Zaire, now D R Congo.
8. (a) The Gulf war of 1990 between Iraq and the allied forces left one million people dead and thousands displaced. People are still starving in Iraq due to sanctions.
(b) Polisario/Morocco 20 year's conflict remains still unresolved. Morocco wants to colonise Polisario after independence in 1976 so that Morocco can exploit the phosphate riches.
(c) Afghanistan- 20 years' conflict of civil war has claimed many lives and has resulted in human suffering where Mujahidin have imposed very harsh rules on women within the areas they control. Women are not allowed to work, not allowed to walk unaccompanied. Girls are not allowed to go to school.
9. Irish Republic Army Conflict : This is a long armed conflict which has been there for over 25 years but a solution is still eluding. The recent ceasefire and peace agreement between Ulster Union and Seinn Fein was a pointer towards peace but Ulster failed the course. Unfortunately such a conflict is occurring in a developed region which we expect to help the Third World countries. While the above- mentioned long standing conflicts are still unresolved, selfish and greedy dictators are still creating more complicated conflicts worldwide.
1. D. R. Congo Conflict : Mer removing dictator Mobutu this country thought they were relieved but they plunged into a more complex problem. Mr. Karbila fell off with Banyamulenge early 1998 and the country plunged into full scale war against the Banyamulenge rebels supported by Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi governments. As the fight continued Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Libya came to support Kabila and they sent in troops and arms. Many lives have been lost but it is still far from ending. Fierce fighting is continuing.
2. Sieraleone Civil War : Rebels deposed President Teijan Kabah which prompted ECOMOG to come in to help reinstate the President. Many lives were lost-200,000 people killed and thousands maimed.
3. Eritrea / Ethiopia War - 1998 To Now : This war erupted from a very petty border misunderstaning. It has now grown into a fierce fullscale war where large artillery and tanks are deployed. No hope for a solution yet.
4. Kosovo : The horror we have witnessed here as a result of ethnic cleansing by Serbs is very devastating. The pictures we saw on our TV screens make people wonder what grudge exists between the Serbs and Albanians. The scar will remain in the minds of Albanians for years to come. Dictators like Milesovic should be rejected by popular masses and removed immediately.
5. India / Pakistan (Kashmir Border) : This is a long time border conflict considered to be the worst since the two countries are now Nuclear Powers. India and Pakistan have fought two wars in the past over this disputed area. In June 1999 Pakistani forces crossed into Kargil and raised tension prompting exchange of fires. India has pushed back the guerillas and Pakistani soldiers but the conflict is not yet settled. A fight can still break out at any time.
Since the main aim of Anuvrat Movement is to create a nonviolent peaceful world we should invite the leaders of the two countries for a dialogue. If peacemaking can begin from this volatile region after this Conference then we shall have got a strong pendulum to help us spread peace to other distant conflict-areas.
Africa : An overview at a glance shows us that in terms of conflict and violence Africa has suffered the most, and unfortunately the conflicts still remain unresolved. Thers is little hope of getting a permanent solution soon. It is therefore necessary that African should put their heads together as a continent and go back to the drawing board and think aloud - WHY AFRICA ALL THE TIME?
Most of the conflicts in Africa are caused by:
1. Greed of power and dictatorship - 90% of African political leaders are dictators and are never willing to relinquish power peacefully for a new leader.
2. Falling victim to foreign influence. Most Africans fall a victim to foreign countries which give them arms to start fighting among themselves. Such wars/conflicts create market for foreign countries to sell arms and kill Africans.
How to Make Peace & Settle Violence and Conflict : Having known the root causes of violence at domestic level, schools, national, regional and international levels, we held a small workshop which discussed and proposed suggestions how to solve this worldwide problem whose trend is worrying currently.
1. Create conducive atmosphere for rival groups to talk about the present conflict openly. Even if an immediate solution is not reached more and more talks with tolerant mediators should be arranged.
2. Political leaders should be able to change their approach and attitude towards issues by self-examination (man in the mirror) and be able to change themselves before changing others.
3. Network of self-reformed people should be widened by promoting peace awareness campaigns, creating networks and linkages among community and women groups, C.B.O.s, farmers groups, village groups, churches, schools and institutions.
4. Use of media should be made to campaign against violence and inform and educate citizens on how to make peace. Simple methods like posters, cartoons, dramas, etc should be used to promote peace. Thanks to Kenya's leading daily the DAILY NATION for having taken a lead in this field. Introduce vernacular newspapers to promote peace and prevent conflict.
5. Introduce peacemaking and conflict prevention at secondary school level and it should be a compulsory subject. As in Kenya we have a subject known as SOCIAL ETHICS which can cover this in detail.
6. A competent body be formed with in the UN to deal with peacemaking and conflict prevention. This body should network with NGOs, CHOs and grassroot, organizations to promote peace. Each country must have a Ministry or Department dealing with PEACE and CONFLICT. This UN body should campaign to reduce arms production and use the moneyfor food production to eliminate hunger in the Third World countries.
7. Remove customary and cultural barriers e.g. castes in India and promote inter-cross border and inter-tribal marriages, Cross- marriages will harmonize existing tensions between communities, borders, or tribes.
8. Promote spiritual revival and change people by true salvation and evangelisation for PEACE and reconciliation. Religious groups MUST take it seriously and be true PEACE ambassadors by being role models themselves and recruit Youth Ambassadors for Peace (YAP). This must be taken seriously and implemented worldwide.
9. Promote partnerships to make peace between two rival groups for example Kenya Police and University of Nairobi students held a seminar in July, 1999 to discuss and harmonise their relationship which has been badly strained for years characterized by street fightings and permanent hatred. A partnership for peace conference should be arranged between India and Pakistan for example to settle a pending ugly conflict.
10. Minimize use of ethnic languages in public places.
11. Put up peace model centers worldwide like ANUVIBHA with the support of the UN to help promote peace.
12. Regular review conferences be organized every two years to compare notes and evaluate if there is improvement or not and set new strategies to achieve the set TARGETS.
13. This 4th International Conference on Peace and Nonviolence will not be complete without setting goals and targets to be met by November 2001 when we shall meet to review our success.
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Author : Ms. Malachi Opule Orondo is Chairman, Community Development Unit and researcher and a human rights activist, Mombasa, Kenya.
Article Source : Anuvibha Reporter ( Special Issue : Dec. 2000 )
Ahimsa, Peacemaking, Conflict Prevention and Management Proceedings and Presentations
Fourth International Conference on Peace and Nonviolent Action ( IV ICPNA )
New Delhi : Nov. 10-14, 1999
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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
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