RWECO TRAINS STAFF IN CONFLICT ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION AT UHURU @ 50 HOTEL-KASESE MUNICIPALITY

 RWECO trained 15  staff  from : KALI, Good Hope, RIDE AFRICA & RICNET were trained from 6th-8th, July, 2016 at Uhuru @50 Hotel, Kasese Municipality. 

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 5^th,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