LocationsRevitalizing indigenous conflict resolution
August 14, 2024
Adirkay Woreda in Amhara region had seen around 159 deaths in less than two years (2022 and 2023) due to blood fueds, a deeply rooted practice in that area that displaced families and disrupted schooling for children. Farmers were also unable to work their land, leaving the community in a state of turmoil.
Muket Gebeyaw Gebre, is a 35-year-old merchant who was driven by a desire for revenge and killed someone. He fled leaving behind his home and work. His actions cost him not only his job but also led to the end of his marriage.
"I lost everything; my marriage, my work, even the friends I used to sit and have coffee with. I felt lonely and abandoned." Muket Gebeyaw said.
Negash Bere Azanaw, is a 38-year-old civil servant who also served as a deacon in Mene Menbere village in Adirkay. When his brother took part in a revenge killing, Negash and his two other brothers were forced to flee the area. Even though they did not take part in the killing, Negash and his brothers were now fair game for retaliation by the victim’s family.
Negash said, "I couldn't hear my children's voices. The psychological tension and fear were overwhelming."
Negash lost his job, and the repercussions were far-reaching for the rest of the family. Two of his nieces were divorced by their husbands because their families refused to allow them to have children with someone linked to acts of revenge killing.
Elias Jejaw, deputy head of Adirkay Woreda Peace and Security, highlighted the severe psychological trauma faced by the community due to the loss of lives. The deaths of relatives and neighbours added to the psychological trauma, creating a sense of depression and hopelessness.
The Peace Support Facility stepped in to facilitate training on conflict resolution for 203 individuals, including 75 are women. The trainees included community leaders comprising elders, religious leaders, youth, and local administration.
With the training, the local peace forums which revolved around facilitating forgiveness and healing, were revitalized. These forums took place at the Kebele and village levels. According to local authorities, since October 2023, this local mechanism has successfully resolved 156 out of 205 cases.
The woreda has since witnessed a substantial decline in revenge killing, encouraging farmers to tend to their fields and animals, and children to return to school. 97 displaced community members returned to their residences. Additionally, a compensation mechanism was established, distributing over 1.3 million birr to affected families. This support enabled families to return to their origin, children go back to school, and individuals to resume their income generating activities.
According to local authorities, by 2023/2024, the number of deaths due to violence had dramatically decreased to just five deaths, and those displaced could return to their homes, resume farming, and restore their social and economic lives.
The support provided by the Peace Support Facility was considered instrumental in rebuilding local governance systems. It helped restore a general sense of safety among the communities and built their communal confidence in their abilities to overcome challenges.
“We are on the path to creating a peaceful woreda where people can live without conflict and engage in social and economic activities without frustration,” noted Elias Jejaw, Deputy Head of Peace and Security in the Adirkay Woreda.
Negash calls this approach “a breath of fresh air”, recognizing the broader impact of this indigenous conflict resolution mechanism.
The Peace Support Facility supports area-specific conflict resolution interventions in all project woredas. It is supported by the Governments of Germany and Japan, with resources also coming from UNDP's core partners and Funding Windows.
The PSF currently targets Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions, with support areas focusing on local governance, human rights and social cohesion; basic social services, economic revival; and development solutions to internal displacement.
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