Peace Building In Post-war Sierra Leone: Experiences Of A Social Worker

Peace Building in Post-War Sierra Leone: Experiences of a Social Worker

There are no universal definitions on the concepts of peace building and conflict transformation. However, peace building is a relation building process. Peace building should also entail building positive structures and new institutions, and should address issues of human rights, children’s rights and gender equity.

by Sheku Dickson Koroma

Peace building explicitly deals with peace by focusing on the identification, alleviation or elimination of the underlying causes of violent conflict; and it is a social and associative process that works towards rebuilding fractured relationships between and among people. Peace building and conflict transformation can therefore be hardly separated.

Conflict transformation is a holistic and multifaceted process of engaging with conflict. It aims at reducing violence and bringing about sustainable justice and peace. It requires work in all spheres at all levels and with all stakeholders. Conflict transformation and peace building are basically the same in meaning and nature.

The Network Movement for Justice and Development, a national non-governmental organisation, which among other things, aims at achieving sustainable peace in Sierra Leone, has as its cross-cutting issues gender, peace building and empowerment.

The organisation has been very much active working with grassroots communities in the Western Area, Bo, Kenema and Kono districts in peace building and conflict transformation. The bulk of the work is focused on training of trauma counselors, training of trainers in conflict resolution, facilitating communities to build physical structures like schools, peace centres, women’s centres, grain stores and drying floors, community sensitization and campaign for just mining. As of May 2001, a total of 133 peace promoters had been trained in NMJD operational areas.

These peace promoters return to their various communities where they are now helping to identify the conflict points and working together to resolve conflicts within families and neighbours. 68 out of the 133 peace promoters were further trained in 2002 in conflict resolution so as to empower them to replicate similar activities in their communities. As a result, peace sessions are now being conducted in NMJD operational communities on a regular monthly basis. These sessions were organized by the peace promoters and jointly facilitated by NMJD animators and the peace promoters themselves. The peace promoters have also been engaged in exchange visits during which they share experiences.

All these efforts have led to the establishment of a network of peace promoters in the Southern and Eastern regions who are now in constant touch with each other. But what impact have these activities/interventions created so far?

The impact, though varies from community to community, is generally great and encouraging. In small Bo for instance, cases reaching the courts have not only reduced drastically, but also relationships between and among the people have strengthened. The same goes for the other communities where NMJD operates its peace building programmes. In most of these communities also, laws and practices marginalizing against women are gradually been reviewed - women are now consulted on issues affecting their lives and even allowed to own land and other property. This goes side by side with efforts to achieve full food security. Communities establish seed banks as a way of storing rice in readiness for future need and use. Communal labour is once again flourishing making even the weak to own farms.

In Kakua and Bumpeh Ngao chiefdoms revolving loan schemes are initiated at Samabu Folubu and Dasamu communities using farm produce. The aim of these schemes is to help community members to respond to emergencies and it is hoped that these processes will lead to sustainable peace in these communities in particular, and the country as a whole.

It is however important to note that all is not a bed of roses through and through as the activities of peace promoters negatively affect the income of traditional leaders whose revenue mainly comes from court fines. Peace promoters now resolve conflicts in their various communities without the imposition of fines. The chiefs and other traditional leaders resolve conflict by imposing fines on those found guilty. This situation is creating tension between the peace promoters and the authorities, which must never be ignored if sustainable peace is to be achieved in our communities.