By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
The Research & Action for Peace Network (REcAP) Project with funding from the European Union, and implemented
by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and the
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Tuesday began 3 days training for participants in Sokoto on conflict prevention, violent extremism, crisis managment and peacebuilding.
The workshop aimed at building the capacity of participants will also deepen their understanding on anticipated potential sources of conflict, including violent extremism as well as developing
optimal mitigating responses using several peacebuilding and conflict prevention tools within communities in Sokoto State and Nigeria at large.
While stressing that REcAP has Women in Peacebuilding,
Active Non-Violence and Peace Education; Conflict Prevention; Democracy and Good Governance; Research
and Documentation as it’s five basic thematic areas, the MEAL Manager, WANEP Nigeria, Emmanuel Ami-Okhani said peace building entails understanding the nature, root causes and possible resolution of crisis situation.
Talking on the objectives of the workshop, one of the Facilitators, Manji Danjuma Mangrock said conflicts arises when two or more parties perceive that their interest or goals are incompatible.
He therefore submitted that conflict affects people based on the way it is understood, adding conflicts are not caused basically by lack or absence of resources but greed or the win at all cost mentality.
While submitting that lack of genuine communication also leads to conflicts, Danjuma said the three basic triggers of conflict include, relationship, perception and incompatability.
“How you view conflict largely determines whether a creative solutions will be found hence conflict it’s either destructive or constructive”
On school of thoughts about conflict, Danjuma said there are traditional view (negative), human relations view, (natural and invitable) interactionist views (conflict is positive).
Expressing causes and sources of conflict, Danjuma said it could be resource based, value based, psychological based, communication and perception based.
He also listed causes of conflicts to include, economic, political, security, social and environmental adding conflict prevention are those actions taken to reduce manifestation, existence or remove the source of conflict.
“These actions could be direct, structural or systematic with the toolbox including Military, non military and developmental approaches”.
Talking on, “Conflict Analysis, Definition, Key Elements and Tools, MEAL Manager, WANEP Nigeria, Emmanuel Ami- Okhani
said understanding the stages of conflict, conflict trees, conflict mapping, conflict scales and bricks, as well as the conflict timeline and onion note principle are critical to arriving at a more permanent resolution to conflicts.