We Call it Peace: How a project impacted peace building processes

In today’s Ethiopia, one thing is desperately needed, and that is peace. 

An important and potent concept that is frequently used in discussions about promoting peace is dialogue. While the country is opting for peace through its national dialogue commission, there are grassroots peace building initiatives being implemented by CSOs in different parts of the country. I4C’s ongoing project is one of these endeavours, supported by the French Development Agency (AFD) through the Civil Society Innovation Fund (CSIF) in ten districts of Arsi, West Arsi and South West Shoa zones of Oromia. 

At I4C, the pursuits of peace and dialogue are inextricably linked. They believe that meaningful dialogue is essential to achieving peace, and that dialogue alone is a futile exercise without a positive end. Furthermore, without facilitation, conversation may be difficult and unproductive, even when it is done with the best of intentions.

I4C’s intervention started with a study that identified conflict prone areas, and informed the identification of target districts. In each district, I4C then worked with local leaders to select and train peace dialogue ‘facilitators’ who then helped to establish twelve peace committee structures. These local peace committees are each formed of six members who are diverse along religious, ethnic, occupational and gender lines, and who are then given training, as well as written guidance governing their formation, operation and mandates.

With the help of the trained facilitators, around 68 dialogue sessions were held involving 2,040 participants. The dialogue sessions identified the major conflict drivers and facilitated focussed and inclusive deliberations designed to identify potential solutions and how best to pursue these. These dialogue sessions have enabled more open communication and led to increased mutual trust and understanding among communities in conflict situations.  

Hamid Uke is head of the office of Administration and Security at Arsi Negelle, one of the target districts. While speaking about the significance of the project he said: “We have some 39 different ethnic communities in our district. There has been great mistrust among these communities. Also suspicion is growing among different religions, particularly between believers of Islam and Orthodox Christianity. Through community owned inclusive dialogue and by creating and strengthening a peace structure known as the “peace committee”, where members from different backgrounds worked together to promote peace and resolve conflicts, the project has been promoting peaceful co-existence between these diverse ethnic and religious groups for over two years.” 

Kadir Hassan, a resident of Burkitu neighbourhood in Kofale district, also targeted by the project, believes that the trainings they received as dialogue facilitators and later as peace committee members were very helpful in empowering them to play a vital role in promoting peace in their communities. “At first, we assumed that a project aimed to maintain peace was a joke”, he remarked. “We thought that only the Government had this responsibility. However, after understanding its justification and the efforts it takes to promote peace, particularly after we were exposed to real-world situations firsthand, we started to see that it is a serious and beneficial endeavour.” Hamid Uke recalls a peace process entirely led by the local community peace structure in the absence of his office’s leadership. “While we were away on other assignments, we received a call informing us of a disagreement between the two religions in Aliyyi Wayyu kebele. Unfortunately, we were only able to come back after two days. We were highly concerned. However, the peace committees had already resolved the issue by setting up a discussion between the opposing platforms by the time we got to the location two days later. The fact that they can handle such delicate disputes in our community shocked us. As our own intervention, we brought this to the attention of our officials back at the office.” 

While seven out of 37 kebeles in Arsi Negelle are currently hosting the initiative, Hamid’s office would like the project to expand to 29 additional kebeles in light of the noticeable changes they have seen in these (7) target kebeles. “We have instructed officials from 29 kebeles to send teams to (the 7) target kebeles and draw lessons by themselves. We intend to build such structures in each of the kebeles under our jurisdiction.”  

Kadir Hassan also shares a similar story of dispute settlement from Kofale district. “There was a conflict in our area between the Wamani and Abose clans. A person from one clan murdered a member from the other. Although the law punished the guilty, the clan conflict persisted. As the peace committee, we stepped in, helped clan representatives communicate, and eventually, in accordance with Gumaa1 tradition, peace was finally restored. Being a participant in this process, I can attest to the project’s importance to our community”. This particular case demonstrates that while the formal legal system may deliver justice, it does not necessarily serve a long-term peace endeavour between conflicting parties. That is why I4C strives to create a locally owned peace structure.  

Speaking during an event, Yasin Gerju, head of West Arsi Zonal Security Administration Office highlighted the significance of these structures in promoting and maintaining peaceful co-existence among diverse communities. He said the newly established local structures are proving to be key strategies in conflict resolution and peace building, further explaining: "My office is aware of the beneficial effects that the peace committee structures are exhibiting in the target districts where the project is operating." 

The project has demonstrated that the creation and application of local peace committee structures can support and enhance dialogue efforts and offer a forum for ongoing dialogue that promotes understanding, reconciliation, and consensus-building leading to a more peaceful and stable environment.