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Mitigating Resource Based Conflicts in the Horn and East Africa
The Resource Based Conflict (RBC) Regional Network seeks to support Peace Building and Conflict Prevention
The
history of the network dates back to 1998 when Oxfam Novib and its
counterparts from Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia acknowledged that
resource based conflicts were a leading threat to prospects of poverty
alleviation and sustainable peace in the HEA. The idea was to generate
knowledge within the counterparts of the region and if possible seek
ways of dealing with the effects of conflict, which was greatly
impacting on the daily programs of the counterparts. At inception, this
coalition was a loose network where key participants would exchange
knowledge and experiences through convening annual RBC Conferences.
These conferences have been held since 2000 in Sudan, Ethiopia,
Somalia, and Somaliland with the most recent one being in Uganda in
2008. Continued funding and support from Oxfam-Novib, has facilitated
the transition of this network from a loose coalition of Oxfam-Novib
counterparts from Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia to a sturdy regional
network of 80 CSOs. It has expanded to include organisations from Kenya
and Uganda and other non-Oxfam-Novib counterparts. Each country has
established a national RBC network of CSOs, with activities coordinated
by a national focal point (NFP).
The activities of the RBC
regional network are coordinated by an RBC Secretariat established in
Nairobi, Kenya under the guidance and close monitoring of the RBC
Regional Steering Committee. The eight National Focal Points form the
Steering Committee, which is the policy arm of the network as well as
the Board of Directors.
Objectives of the Network
OBJECTIVE 1: REGIONAL RBC SECRETARIAT FOR COORDINATION
To
provide a sturdy mechanism for regional coordination and facilitation
of the learning process, knowledge development, management and exchange
and finally linking with ongoing Conflict prevention, advocacy and
campaign program in the HEA.
OBJECTIVE 2: CAPACITY BUILDING
To
build the capacity of RBC Network members in Conflict research and
analysis, policy analysis and advocacy skills, media engagement and
lobby skills, campaign development skills and lastly content – focused
training based on the priority themes identified by each national
network within the RBC NAPs.
OBJECTIVE 3: CONFLICT MAPPING AND ANALYSIS
To
undertake thematic focused conflict mapping and analysis to generate
information and bridge the RBC knowledge gap both for CS programming as
well policy and lobby advocacy.
OBJECTIVE 4: LOBBY AND CAMPAIGNS
To
link up with, support ongoing lobby and campaigns at national levels on
any of the thematic issues identified above as well as organize a
regional campaign on one prioritized cross-border RBC related issue.
Activities
RBC Secretariat Field Visit to Uganda
This
field visit was conducted between the 14th and the 18th of January 2008
by the Regional RBC Secretariat Programme Officer, John Ahere. Its main
objectives were to:
* Obtain a revised and prioritised National
Action Plan, as recommended during the NFP Technical roundtable held
over 3-4 December 2007 in Nairobi.
* Monitor progress of the implementation of Objective 2 of the current project.
*
Concretisation of the Uganda RBC Network steering Committee Terms of
Reference proposed during the consensus building workshop in Uganda
over 6-8 July 2006.
* Establish sustainable working modalities between the Uganda RBC Steering Committee and the Regional Secretariat.
Training in Conflict Mapping and Analysis and Development of Manuals
A
mapping of training and capacity building needs was carried out in
December 2007 among members of the Uganda RBC network and the
priorities were identified as: Conflict Research & Analysis,
Advocacy (including campaign development skills and media engagement)
and Policy Analysis. A training workshop was conducted on Conflict
Mapping, Analysis and Advocacy at Ulrika Guesthouse (19th to 21st
February 2008). Three training manuals were developed – an Advocacy
training manual, a Policy Research training manual and a Conflict
Mapping manual.
The 7th Novib RBC Conference – Entebbe, Uganda, 2008
The
7th RBC Regional Conference was held from June 27th to July 1st 2008,
at Imperial Resort Hotel, Entebbe. This was the seventh in a series of
regional NGO conferences, initiated by Novib (Holland), addressing
resource-based conflict (RBC) in the Greater Horn of Africa. The
conference brought together NGOs from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Somalia, Somaliland and Puntland, Sudan (North and South), Tanzania and
Uganda. The current Minister of Agriculture, then Minister of State for
Local Government, Hon. Hope Mwesigye, who is chairperson of PENHA’s
Uganda advisory board, gave a strong opening address. She called upon
participants to strengthen regional linkages, to address economic ties
and to engage with governments and regional bodies.
The specific
theme of this year’s conference was “Conflict over Land”. The overall
aim was to strengthen the regional network of CSOs, so that individual
and collective efforts are more effective.
The specific objectives of the conference were:
* To assess (in each country and comparatively between each country):
* Land-related conflict,
* Land policies and customary law
* Legal and institutional frameworks governing land tenure and use
* The cross-border dimensions of conflict
* To produce a consensus on basic principles and approaches to managing conflict
* To develop civil society advocacy strategies on specific issues
* To develop a set of key messages on land-related conflict
* To review country action plans and integrate them into a coordinated regional approach
*
To devise better ways of working together, and strategies aimed at,
with other actors, bringing about change and having a real impact
At
the end of the conference, the participants came up with a signed
declaration that called upon the responsible regional institutions and
respective governments to:
* Promote peace and stability in our
countries through the instruments of integrated natural resource
development strategies to ensure equitable access of all groups to
life-sustaining resources
* Address land issues in a sustainable,
transparent, and accountable manner in order to ensure the equitable
utilization of land, to the benefit of all our people
* Respect the diversity of livelihoods among our communities
*
Recognize pastoralism and agro-pastoralism as viable livelihoods and
land use systems and facilitate peaceful and regulated pastoral mobility
*
Harmonize laws and regulations in order to promote market access for
pastoral and agricultural products and work towards the establishment
of integrated marketing infrastructure that supports regional trade
*
Develop and/or review existing land policies and ensure wider
participation of the communities concerned in the formulation of
policies and regulations regarding their land
* Work with civil
society to build the capacity of communities and their representatives
to participate in the formulation of policies and regulations
* Raise public awareness about regional bodies and initiatives and work with the media to promote a sense of a regional identity
*
Ensure, in regulating land use changes that promote economic growth,
that the needs of all stakeholders, governments, the private sector and
investors as well as the communities are met.
* Develop and where possible, harmonize cross border frameworks for conflict prevention and the promotion of cross-border trade
Recognize the positive role of civil society in promoting peace, good governance and development
The
conclusions of the conference were encapsulated in the "Entebbe
Declaration on land use, land rights and land related conflict
prevention" which can be downloaded here (87 kb).
The full report of this conference can be downloaded by clicking here (with illustrations) (1.6 mb) or without illustrations
(524 kb). It can also be downloaded from the PENHA website (under PENHA
publications, Conferences and Workshops). The introduction is on the
website and the report itself in in two versions – with and without
illustrations.
Conflict Mapping and Analysis in Uganda (see Objective 3 above)
In
December 2008, PENHA on behalf of the RBC Management Network organised
a three day training on Conflict Analysis and Mapping in Kasese
District. The immediate objective of the training was to generate
information for bridging the RBC knowledge gap on the Basongora – Queen
Elizabeth National Park Conflicts, which then could be used for policy
advocacy.
 Members of the national RBC network were trained on
how to use and apply the conflict mapping tools that had been earlier
developed. The tools were further piloted/tested in Queen Elizabeth
National Park among the Basongola pastoralists of Kasese district, who
have been in conflict with the Queen Elizabeth National park
authorities and are now in conflict with crop farmers. The assignment
was to apply the conflict mapping tools in identifying the various
players, history and context of the conflict. The causes of disputes
and conflicts in such systems were examined and innovative approaches
to prevention, management and resolution highlighted. Also explored
were the implications for conflict management of policies and
programmes of decentralisation and the empowerment of local decision
makers.
Emmanuel Kyagaba (centre right) and team members consulting with Basongora pastoralists in Kasese
The
Wehr’s Conflict Map and the Hocker-Wilmot Conflict Assessment Guide are
helpful in generating information about conflict situations and
especially identifying the players. In the course of testing the tools,
it emerged that while some parties are mentioned, their roles remained
unclear. A mention was made of some emerging traditional institutions
such the Obusinga, but their involvement in the conflict has not been
clarified. Another local institution, whose involvement in resolving
land conflicts would be vital, are the land tribunals, but these did
not feature in the discussions. The Queen Elizabeth National Park
conflict nexus has several parties playing primary roles in the
conflict, which calls for strengthening institutions and structures for
managing the conflicts.
Achievements
1.
The RBC project has contributed towards fostering collective action and
responsibility respectively towards RBC Management by opening up the
space for CSO involvement and broad based participation of the
inhabitants of the Horn and East Africa (HEA).
2. The project has
generated knowledge and enhanced learning through exchanging
information, conflict management practices, conflict mapping exercises
and experiences during the past six regional RBC conferences in various
countries of the HEA.
3. The activities of the RBC project and
respective impact in the Horn has generated interest realizing the
involvement of CSO Kenya and Uganda.
4. The project has evolved into
a regional network of close to 80 CSOs in the HEA with clear national
and regional action plans respectively.
The network is in the
process of registration as a regional NGO with mandate to work in the
HEA with its activities coordinated by the regional secretariat to be
based in Nairobi. This network will be guided by a common
implementation plan.
Key Conclusions
* CSOs must work to build citizens’ capacity to understand existing laws and defend their rights.
*
Economic development naturally involves changes in land use and certain
trade-offs – CSOs should not automatically oppose change, but should
seek to ensure that local people, farmers and pastoralist, benefit from
change.
* The exploitation of oil and mineral deposits or the
establishment of cotton or other factories may conflict with or
displace traditional livelihoods, but should go ahead as long as local
people are adequately compensated, as well as consulted and fully
informed throughout.
* In the processes of “negotiation” between
competing land users, CSOs can play an important role in strengthening
the hand of the poor.
* Strengthening local institutions, and
ensuring broad participation, can help to avert violent conflict over
land and natural resources.
Beneficiaries
*
Under the objective of Capacity Building where members of the Uganda
RBC network were trained in Conflict Mapping, Analysis and Advocacy
there were 15 beneficiaries, 8 men and 7 women.
* Under Conflict
Mapping and Analysis, where members of the Uganda RBC network were
trained on how to use and apply the conflict mapping tool, there were
16 beneficiaries, 8 men and 8 women.
* Under Lobbying and Campaigns,
with the 7th regional RBC conference, there were 42 beneficiaries, 26
men and 16 women, from 9 countries.
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Mission and Objectives
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