DIALOGUE AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

DIALOGUE AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

  CORNELIUS Afebu OMONOKHUA

1.         Introduction

Conflict is a disagreement between two parties whose objectives are perceived to be incompatible. It may appear neutral, natural and normal. It could be a danger or create opportunity for growth and better understanding depending on the response by the conflicting parties. It involves two or more parties. It has to do with the behavior we observe and it expresses the way we put our system in place. The levels and stages of conflicts are:

• Intra personal conflict – this gives rise to split personality. The person can become schizophrenic. For example, Lady Macbeth after persuading Macbeth to kill Duncan’; the demoniac who responded to Jesus question “who are you?” I am legion for we are many (Mk. 5:9). A person suffering from intra personal conflict does not have rest of mind. The consequences are insomnia, high blood pressure, hypo cardiac exhaustion etc. The person suffering from this conflict infects others with the venom of his / her heart. He / she see people around as enemies and rivals.  In African setting some who are suffering from intra personal conflict attribute their problems to witches and wizards. Inferiority complex, guilt, abnormal traits inherited from birth and temperaments can cause intra personal conflict. This kind of conflict calls for intra-personal dialogue whereby the person goes deep into the castle of his / her inner heart to discover his / her real self. This can still be called examination of consciousness.

• Intra group conflict – This is the conflict that happens within the community. This conflict creates disharmony within the village, society or institution. This conflict if not resolved can lead to insurrection. Some of the causes of intra group conflict are: struggle for power, family land, inheritance etc. this conflict is very common in a monarchical system where the king takes it all without regard and respect for the common good.

• Inter personal conflict - This is the conflict between two persons. It leads to a blunt refusal to be each other’s keeper (Gen. 4:9) like the case of Cain and Abel. Some of the causes of inter personal conflict are: jealousy, ugly image from birth, greed, selfishness, wickedness etc

• Inter group conflict – This is the conflict between two different communities. This can lead to ethnic, tribal and religious conflicts.  Some of the causes could be: different ideologies, beliefs, territorial boundary, inter personal conflict of some leaders who will get the whole communities involve etc.

Usually, conflict starts with a little disagreement. This could be between two individuals or between two communities. The following tools may be used to analyze conflict; sparks, fire, eruption of conflict and calm. This call for three stages of intervention: Conflict prevention, Conflict management and Regeneration

2.         Conflict analysis?

• Examine the reality of conflicts from a variety of perspectives.
• Formal and informal powers- analyze hidden powers.

The process should include a sincere investigation of the root causes. This involves going from the problem to the causes. One exclusive way of resolving conflict is wrong. For example in ethnic conflict there are always several causes. If there are several solutions, there could be several options, and then identify them and chose a particular action. That is to say:

• Identify the Problem                                                                                                            
• Diagnose the causes
• Choose a solution option
• Take a specific action and be committed to it

The impact is not the popular and public statements. Conflict analysis is not a one time exercise. It must be an ongoing process. Do not rush to solutions. Identify the structural causes. The cause should not be one response. It should be several options. Avoid the tyranny of a single cause and single solutions.  In analyzing conflict, we can identify the people, the problems and the process.

• The benefactors
• Hidden actors-financiers
• visible actors
• interested parties
• invisible actors
• listening
• analysis of actors who benefit
• analysis of actors affected
• analysis of actors with power influence
• Analysis of actors with critical background

In conflict analysis we should bear in mind that the enemies of today may be the friends of tomorrow. In analyzing the problem, there is need to inquire:

• What the problem is?
• Causes of the problem?
•  Issues concerning the problem.
• Scale of the problem.
• Consequences of the problem.

The Process we may use should include: the factors, inquiring through dialogue, identifying the relationship of the causes, history of the problem and the conflict tree. This means we help to identify which event are most important to each other. The history recorded in the memory can be very far. A lot of people wait for the day they can revenge. For instance, somebody may say: They came to our village, kill my parents and burn our houses. The dates and events are recorded in memory and sometimes mythologized. This is a narrative of victim hood (chosen trauma). This blinds the person to see any good in the future. The future reality has no green light. This trauma is transferred to the future generation. The parents continue to teach the children to revenge.

The conflict manager must however be firm in insisting that self, pride and esteem even for the child cannot be compromised in the justification of superiority. He is aware that some people don’t see the opportunity of the moment because they are stunk to the past. So the process of reconciliation and transformation at different levels is indispensable. There is no substitute for peace and reconciliation. Let us keep the peace we have realized i.e. weaving peace in the rift valley. This calls for healing of memory and peace building.

Peace building is a long term effort of building a peaceful and stable communities / societies. It is a process of strengthening and restoring relationships. It is a process of transforming unjust institutions and systems. Conflict resolution is immediate and time bound. Conflict transformation is a process that goes from stage to stage. It is sustainable when the root causes can be identified. It promotes growth and strengthens relationship. It is very important to be pro-active in peace building. For instance it is easier to make peace if one begins a cordial relationship and friendship say with a Muslim neighbour before the eruption of conflict. In the heart of conflict it is difficult to make friends. 

3.         Conflict Transformation

We start peace building from the grass root level. There should be relationships between the levels of middle class and grass roots. This should be in form of service delivery / human rights. To address some of the changes, there is need to develop the strategies of the middle class and the elites. There is need to develop and build the relationship based on social justice. This is marked by right relationship, human dignity and the need for those at the grass roots to be heard. Let us examine the structure of the society.

• Top level- The people at the top have the capacity to protect themselves; their people and their property. Their children are not in our local schools. They do not feel the heat. Those at the Top have more animosity but they don’t go physical but they can use the people at the bottom to cause violence. They operate in a civilized way. They may shake hands but still hate one another.

• Middle Class: The people at this level prefer to make their feelings known in writing. They are not as protected and secure like those at the top level. They too can be influenced by those at the top class.

• Bottom level: - The bottom feels the heat- it is their houses that are often burnt. They are the most vulnerable because they have no protection. They go physical and they affect all the other levels. Then in building peace, how do we do it? There is need to educate these people, first not to allow themselves to be used by those at the top class. They should know that they are always the worst affected in any act of violent conflict.

From the experiences we have in our locality we can begin to transform conflicts by being pro-active. It is a common saying that prevention is better than cure. At this stage we get familiar with each other and one another. For instance, a Catholic Priest should make friends with the pastors and Imams in his neighborhood. The pastors and the Imams should do the same to the Catholic priests. Religious leaders should encourage friendship with each other and one another. At the community levels, the neighboring villages and ethnic groups should be able to make friends. Once this relationship is established, it becomes easy to talk and dialogue when there is conflict. In the heart of conflicts, it is difficult to build healthy relationships so it is very necessary to be pro-active. Already existing friendship helps in:

·         Transforming materials and preventing fire.

·         Prejudice reduction.

·         Conflict transforming training

·         Advocacy training

·         Human right training

·         Co-operation - economic development

·         Limiting what ignites, preventing flames from spreading.

·         Non violent advocacy

·         Limiting damage

·         Cooling the coals.

·         Local reconciliation and restoring relationship.

·         Co- operative economic development or rebuilding

·         Psychosocial support and healing of trauma.

·         Regeneration

·         Reconciliation and trauma counseling.

·         Working on the historic memory.

4.         Principles of Peace Building

The most enduring principle of peace building is the wisdom to plant in a child what he / she can contribute positively to the next generations. This seed should reflect the capacity to prevent conflict, reconcile conflicts and plan strategies and skills that can help the human person. This will finally help the community and the society to have a sustainable peace. This is a reflection on how we can plant and sustain a peaceful coexistence at all levels especially ethnic and religious harmony in our world. The following principles may serve as the seeds of peace that can transform into a lasting peace.

Comprehensive

• Integrating levels of intervention by not taking sides as leaders and peace builders
• To be conscious and contribute to the larger justice and peace issue.
• Act locally and think globally

Interdependence

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• No single level, activity, person, organization is able to bring peace in isolation of others. There is need for collaborative effort. For example collaboration between the Inter-religious Dialogue committee and Justice and peace / Caritas
• Integrating people, roles and activities is necessary
• Spider web (a combination of threads and strand); flexible strong and resistant. Forging relationships between people who are not like-minded but who are interdependent.
• Bridging the relationship between people of different groups by talking to one another.                                                                                     
• The recognition of the fact that (you are because I am, I am because you are)

Sustainability: This principle is the creation of:

• On going response capacity to address the cyclical nature of conflicts.
• As you make progress – you go back and move again- build sustainable capacity
• Developing local capacities for peace- peace initiative should survive us.
• There is a difference between Human right activism and peace building 
• Our peace initiatives must survive us by creating functional structures.

Strategic

• Proactive response to emerging issues while reinforcing longer and larger change process. It follows that we can not fold our hands when we see problems emerging. It is not my business often turns to every body’s business
• Building trust on both sides to attain a sustainable dialogue.
• Committees- development, reconstruction by responding to emergencies.
• When, where, what how (to react). Who do you engage? Voice of reason. Building vertical capacity. The capacity to reach the top from the bottom. The voice of reaching from bottom to top. (Many who can shoot from top to bottom and verse versa). When the process starts, increase the actors.
• Voice of reason – people who are influential; structure that can communicate at all levels. Building bridges across divides.(horizontal capacity)

When, How, Where (to act)

·         We build vertical capacity and horizontal capacity by accepting to carry the cross even up to the point of martyrdom.

·         Love God – Vertical, in other words the love of God that created all human beings must spur us on.

·         Love your neighbor – Horizontal. The fact that a neighbour is imago Dei becomes an added advantage. This must go beyond the time of division.

·         The Lord’s Prayer: Forgive us our sins as as we forgive those who sin against us become very relevant here.

Infrastructure

• Logistical mechanism and institutions.
• People relationships –social spaces.
• Transforms violence and divisions to increased peaceful and interdependent relationship; to create a space that is safe.

Spirituality

·         Image of God – put God at the centre.

·         Engagement with God’s people must be put in front.

·         Recognition that our human capacities are limited and we constantly need help beyond ourselves.

·         Recognition that for transformation to happen, we need in a way a change of attitude and inner conversion

·         Recognition that peace building is in a way a new form of evangelization.

·         Moments when God take control – We need to follow our peace building with prayers.

5.   Results - How do you see results?

The effect of our peace building may not be immediately tangible. How do we know that we are successful? How do we know the desired results? How do we get the desired change? How are we sure that we are not fooled or deceived into pseudo peace? Let us evaluate the following indicators:        

• Trust- for example, we can now eat and drink together I can even leave a bottle of drink with the person with whom I have had conflict and come back to drink it again without fear of the drink being poisoned. This is a big indicator.
• Work: The principles of peace building should guide our choices in our work. Peace building initiative includes who you work with, what you do, where you work. The indicator that you can work with somebody in the opposing camp after a conflict situation without fear is also an indicator  
• How do you identify the people you want to work with? Draw the list?
• It is not enough to ask the group for representatives.
• Ask group A- those they want from group B to talk with and verse versa.
• Identify the type of action- to be comprehensive- challenges/ not failure.
• Learn from what is successful.
• Emphasis on failure tells on your capacity.
• Infrastructures are- the people, relationships
• What value do we have?
•  The voices of reason are the critical yeast.

6. Reconciliation / Justice

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Symbol of justice

In the civil society, the symbol of justice is a blind folded woman, a scale and a sword. What interpretation can we give to this in our peace building and conflict management? Can we briefly look at these?

• Arbitration – intervention by a person or group of persons
• Negotiation – the fighters are tired and want to end the fight but cannot because of pride and fear of being seen to be defeated
• Mediation – Any slight intervention and advocacy may end the fight so there is always need for an assisted negotiation
• Reconciliation – participation by every body
• The Pauline principle of reconciliation includes every human being and race:

Let me say then to you gentiles, that, as far as I am apostle to the gentiles, I take pride in this work of service: and I want it to be the means of rousing to envy the people who are my own blood-relations and so of saving some of them. Since their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, do you know what their reacceptance will mean? Nothing less than life from the dead (Rom 11: 13-15)

Reconciliation gives rise to the creation of social spaces. It creates space for offering and receiving graciousness. It creates space for discovery and building a new relationship. Let us take a clue from the Resilience, trauma and the wise relationship between Imam Ashafa and Pastor James. From the Christian point of view reconciliation includes healing of memory, being at peace with self, God and neighbour.

• We must not reduce ourselves to the level of causing violence. If you throw a stone into the market, the stone may hit your own mother. The ashes return with the person who throws the ashes.
• Reconciliation with self is psychological. It is a peace that the world can not give: Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace which the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid (John 14:27)
• Reconciliation with neighbour is liturgical, legal and sociological: So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the alter, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison (Matthew 5: 23-25)
• Reconciliation with nature is ecological. This help to care for future generation. Faithful love and Loyalty join together, saving justice and Peace embrace. Loyalty will spring up from the earth, and Justice will lean down from heaven (Psalm 85:10)
• The ingredients of reconciliation are truth, mercy, justice and peace. Which of these do we demand in a conflict situation? We can use mercy to get truth, justice and peace. Mercy demands nothing. It is unconditional. It diffuses tension and prevents an eye for an eye syndrome. Mercy invites forgiveness; humility; graciousness. We should open a space for others to open their heart.

7.         Forms of Dialogue

I deliberately intend to end this session with the forms of dialogue. I think the meaning will be clearer having seen the pain and tragedy of conflicts. Dialogue I believe must start from an adventure into oneself. That is to say, I must constantly ask myself: Who am I? Where am I coming from? Where am I? Where am I going? What is my strength? What is my weakness? What are my opportunities? What are my threats? Can I live without others? Who is my neighbour?  How do I relate to them? This intra-personal dialogue can help a great deal to utilize the forms of dialogue to a maximum advantage. Let us briefly look at these forms of dialogue?

• Dialogue of Life: 

This form of dialogue is what human beings do on a day to day basis. In some of the villages and cities in the world and even in Nigeria, there are some families where people belong to different religions like Islam, Christianity and African Traditional Religion. This is very common in the Western, Southern and Mid-Western part of Nigeria. People of different religions find themselves living in the same family, attend the same school and work together in the same office and other places of work.

• Dialogue of Social Engagements:

The human person is social by nature. People of different religions often meet in different life situations, like ceremonies, trade in the same market, join together to fight injustice and diseases.  This form of dialogue is collaboration between Christians and people of other religions to promote the integral development and liberation of people. In doing this there must be a dialogue or discussion about what is good and what is evil for the human person and the society. Christians and other believers can come together to fight ecological crisis and environmental pollution. People can come together irrespective of religious differences to fight a common course.

• Dialogue of Theological exchange:

This can also be called dialogue of experts. This is where specialists come together to discuss theological issues to seek deeper understanding. For instance, experts can come together to discuss the meaning of God, grace, heaven, hell and the end of the world. For instance when a Christian says peace be with you, does he mean the same peace that the Muslim is talking about? This form of dialogue deals more with clarification of terms, understand one another’s view and respect one another’s convictions.

• Dialogue of religious experience:

I have a dream, it is only me who has the experience of my dream. If I tell you that I ate pounded yam in my dream, you are not in a position to tell me that it is a lie and that I ate rice. Religious experience is akin to the Etsako proverb that says onokho’fia lo le ani lo za tuo vho owe, He who wears a pair of shoes knows better the spot in his leg where it is hurting. Religious experiences are very personal. Dialogue of religious experience therefore is the sharing of our convictions about one another, our different   traditions, spiritual riches we derived from prayer, meditation, contemplation and the way we experience God in life. This on a lighter mood is the sharing of testimonies and narration of what God has done for us.

8.         Conclusion

Conflict has never brought success or progress to a person, community or nation. It is only dialogue that leads to peace and happiness. God who is peace can not command any body to kill in his name. I therefore appeal to all God’s creatures to be open to all the mechanisms and actions to promote the value and dignity of the human person. May the peace of God abide in the hearts of all peoples such that this world will once again become a living heaven for everybody!