Training on conflict prevention, violent extremism, peacebuilding takes place in Sokoto
By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
The Research & Action for Peace Network (REcAP) Project with funding from the European Union (EU), and implemented by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) had a 3 days training programme in Sokoto on conflict prevention, violent extremism, crisis management and peacebuilding.
The workshop, aimed at building the capacity of participants, will also deepen their understanding of anticipated potential sources of conflict, including violent extremism, as well as to develop 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 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 situations.
Talking on the objectives of the workshop, one of the facilitators, Manji Danjuma Mangrock said conflicts arise when two or more parties perceive that their interests or goals are incompatible.
He, therefore, submitted that conflicts affect people based on the way they are understood, adding that 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 incompatibility.
“How you view conflict largely determines whether a creative solution will be found hence conflict is either destructive or constructive.”
On schools of thought about conflict, Danjuma said there are a traditional view (negative), human relations view (natural and inevitable) and interactionist views (conflict is positive).
Expressing causes and sources of conflict, Danjuma said it could be resource based, value based, psychologically based, communication and perception based.
He also listed causes of conflicts to include, economic, political, security, social and environmental adding that conflict prevention measures are those actions taken to reduce the manifestation, existence or remove of the source of conflict.
“These actions could be direct, structural or systematic with the toolbox including military, non military and developmental approaches,” he stressed.
Talking on, “Conflict Analysis, Definition, Key Elements and Tools, the 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 timelines and onion note principle are critical to arriving at a more permanent resolution to conflicts.
