RWECO trained 15 staff from : KALI, Good Hope, RIDE AFRICA & RICNET were trained from 6th-8th, July, 2016 at Uhuru @50 Hotel, Kasese Municipality.
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| Mr. Bangirana Narcisio facilitating at the staff training-8th July, 2016 |
The
project on community action to prevent and manage conflicts and human rights
violations was designed as a result of the unending conflicts that have ravaged
the Rwenzori region since the pre-colonial to post-colonial era. As far as back
in 1921, conflicts had emerged in the Rwenzori region due to: cultural identity and resource sharing,
migrations, land ownership was basically a
cause of cultural conflicts in the traditional Tooro Kingdom, the
conflicts were even intra-tribal and inter-tribal.
Until 1962 when the representative of the
Bakonzo and Bwamba matched out of the Tooro Kingdom Rukurato and declared
secession from the Tooro Kingdom, conflicts in the Rwenzori region became more
pronounced than ever. With the creation of Ruwenzori (Kasese District) and
Semuliki ( Bundibugyo district) in 1974, however, even when the districts were
granted still conflicts and human rights violations became eminent, loss of
lives and property did not end. Thus the Rwenzori region has passed through
hard times as described by some scholars and development workers.
The
political interventions in the conflicts have not provided safe grounds as
conflicts have continued to emerge at different times. The NALU & ADF rebel
attacks in the 1990s, left mayhem to the citizens of the region and the whole
country. More so, with the recognition of Cultural Institutions in the region,
organized groups of people who claimed that there were marginalized attacked
government installations in Kasese, Bundibugyo and Ntoroko districts on July 5th,2014.
Lives and property were lost and community responses to these conflicts were
not given chance since government intervention was political.
Conflicts and human rights violations of any
form have devastating impacts on the community and those most affected are
women, children, PWDs and the elderly. Thus RWECO conducted training for staff
in key conflict terminologies, conflict prevention and management and community
action initiatives to prevent conflict and human rights violations
The main purpose of the staff training
The main purpose of the staff training is to
equip staff with concepts and terminologies applicable to conflict prevention
and management and human right.
Specific Objectives
1.
To equip staff with knowledge
and skill so key concepts in conflict prevention and management and human
rights
2.
2. To re-tool staff in the
application of the rights based approached to peace building and conflict
management;
3.
3. To pre-test the peace
education manual
The training was attended by 15 ( 5 F, 10M) staff from:
KALI, Good Hope, RIDE AFRICA & RICNET. The training was facilitated by Mr.
Narcisio Bangirana, a renowned conflict analysis and peace building facilitator
in Uganda; the facilitator took staff in conflict sensitive facilitation
skills, training skills and moderation. Other facilitators were: Jimmy and John
who handled conflict concepts, conflict analysis and prevention and conflict mapping.
The training was one of the events where staff discussed further conflict scenarios
at local, national and international level. Group work further gave staff an
opportunity to apply the skills learnt during the training. During the training members learnt that in
order to manage conflicts in Rwenzori region, look at how
communities interact, empower them with skills of co-existence and information.
We also learnt that
for conflicts to be managed, there should be Negotiation which is a problem solving process in which
two or more people in a conflict voluntarily discuss their differences and
attempt to reach a joint decision of their common concerns that is satisfactory
to both parties.
Members also learnt
that the most appropriate approach for managing conflicts in Rwenzori region is
mediation where a third party facilitates a negotiation, it’s also important
that those who conflict are the very ones to bring the solution. Bearing in mind that Post conflict peace
building is very important because it help people to understand law, cultural
institution, building their capacity and gives them knowledge. it also involve
rehabilitation of communities e.g. veterans (let’s make an attempt on
rehabilitation). It also involves transformation like cultural galas , peace
games and church leaders involvement.
Compiled by
Ms. Margret Kidima
RWECO
Police patrol Kabonero Sub-county, Kabarole District on Thursday. Photo by Felix Basiime 
