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ACHOLI
RELIGIOUS LEADERS PEACE INITIATIVE
"Community Peacebuilding"
1.
Introduction
Peace is a long term process with lots of incidents along the
way. It therefore requires that conflicts/disorders! wars be addressed
in relation to specific situations that exist in a community. In this
respect, although immediate conflicts/crisis arising in society require
a fast response, it needs long term vision to respond effectively
to conflicts and be able to transform it. Response to conflict therefore,
require reflective actions. It is a collaborative process.
Peacebuilding
creates the space, develops relationship and perseveres despite some
pessimism in a peace process. It involves being flexible enough to respond
to emerging opportunities, however small they may be. It is rooted in
building trust and relationship where events are fluid, emotions charged,
violence and destruction are being experienced by many, perceptions
and mis-conceptions have accumulated over a long period of time. The
outcome of peacebuilding should be seen and understood as - a process
of understanding and learning.
The
main principles of peacebuilding is promoting peace through conscientisation,
exposing the community to conflict analysis, transformation and resolution
skills and techniques and to peace making reflections and experiences.
It is sensitising and training in peace with emphasis on activity and
experiential learning. Peace building is and must be an integral part
of community life.
2. Principles and Guidelines
(a) Peace is based on social justice. A community with unjust or violent
practices will not promote peace.
(b) Peacebuilding is a continuous long term process.
(c) Peacebuilding recognises differences and similarities between people
and uses them creatively.
(d) Peacebuilding is a process which identifies, exploits and strengthens
the social mechanisms though which the peace process can be achieved.
(e) Peacebuilding should have historical vision, building on existing
traditional conflict resolution mechanisms.
(f) Peacebuilding activities involves all sectors of society.
(g) Peacebuilding programmes must include appropriate activities to
foster improved gender relations.
(h) Peacebuilding programmes must be linked to community development
activities; school learning across the curriculum and visual materials,
radio, theatre .... etc.
(i) Five categories character peace building programme:
(i) analysis of
the situation of the crisis,
(ii) developing acommon vision,
(iii) designing strategies for realising the vision,
(iv) actualising the strategies through concrete activities, and
(v) fostering hope for a desired future.
3. Training of Animators/Facilitators
- Emphasis is to
be given to careful selection of trainees, to appropriate content
of animators' training, encouraging teaching methodologies which foster
the community as important actors responsible for their own transformation.
- Animators's training
should enhance the values of empathy, respect, mutual trust, friendship/good
relationship and the skills for active listening and effective communication.
- Animators must
be practitioners in responding to conflicts and enhancing peace building.
- The approach
to peace building animation should be integrated.
4. Teaching/Facilitation
Methodologies
(a) Participatory and relevant to the context and culture of the community/participants.
(b) The community should be given the opportunity to imagine and dream
peace.
(c) Peace animators should allow themselves to be taught by the community
on peace.
5. Peace Committees
A 'peace committee's is a group of people within a community who come
together to discuss issues which threaten peace in their community.
It should include representatives of all the different groups/strata
within that community. Peace committees base their work on four fundamental
principles for peace-building and reconciliation namely; TRUTH -
MERCY (Forgiveness) - JUSTICE - PEACE. A peace committee can work
at solving specific conflict issues between individuals and or among
groups. It helps us to discover our ÔlensesÕ (what we perceive of the
issue(s)), causing the conflict. Peace committees can also help in developing
strategies for avoiding violent conflict when there is a crisis. It
will help in teaching and promoting the basis for peace education. that;
- CONFLICTS ARE
NORNAL AND NATURAL,
- CONFLICTS HAVE
ROOTS WHICH ARE OFTEN HIDDEN,
- IN CONFLICTS,
WE EACH SEE PART OF THE TRUTH
- IN CONFLICTS,
WE CAN CHOOSE HOW TO RESPOND,
- CONFLICT IS A
'BIG' OPPORTUNiTY FOR NEW DISCOVERIES, and
- CONFLICTS CAN
BE transformed
6.
Peace Animators
Peace
animators are people identified and selected from the community
to act as catalysts in the promotion of conflict resolution, transformation,
peace-building and reconciliation. Through training, they are equipped
with various skills and approaches to facilitating a group/community
peace process.
In this process, peace animators initiate participatory dialogue on
issues of conflict, help develop critical awareness of the conflict/crisis
situation which could lead to self-directed and self-determined action
for change. They need to acquire skills for conscientisation, promotion
of participation (peace is a group efforts) , analysis of local
situations and group dynamics. Peace animator must be responsive to
local needs, customs and habits, limitations and opportunities.
Kitgum, January 1999 |
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