Conflict Resolution Between Dar Faela and Golfan

This locally-run initiative gathered together community leaders and the tribal leaders of both sides to reach an agreement, in order to avoid a cycle of revenge killings.

Description

Before the conflict these two tribes were neighbours and they lived with each other peacefully. What we have seen is that after the civil war which affected south Kordofan, their opinions started to change - they were then ready to fight for small purposes and carried guns all the time.

Two Shogara staff collected information about what triggered the local conflict. They found that the conflict trigger was animals of Dar Faela entering the growing areas of Golfan. Two people from each tribe were subsequently killed and each tribe wanted to exact revenge. Having found this out we started to think about the best way to solve the problem, asking the community leaders for their advice. This initiative ran from June to July 2007.

Aims / Objectives

The aim of this initiative was to open links between the two tribes and to give them a chance to live peacefully after the end of war, with no need for another conflict which would destroy life again.

How it is Articulated

After we knew the roots of the conflict we gathered the community leaders of the area and the leaders of the two tribes. Then we held a strong discussion about the problem. Community leaders asked Golfan and Dar Faela tribe leaders to stay together and they obeyed. (If our organisation - or indeed any people who are not community leaders - had asked them to stay together they would not obey.) After speaking for a while they said they would not fight again after they paid each other for the people who had been killed. Then we collected the money from representatives of the two tribes to make sure that the process continued, not to let it die for the purpose of money. When we managed to collect the money, we were determined to have the same gathering as before. Then we gave each tribe their money, and the resolution happened.

Achievements / Learning points

Now each tribe lives with its neighbour as in the past so this is a great achievement. They now have an agreement which they follow, that nobody enters the others area without permission and nobody kills any person for any reason. (This agreement is called “freedom”.)

Our work is different from others because this whole initiative was run by Sudanese people, with no funding from outside, not even people from Khartoum, we are all from Dilling.

Geographical Area of Operation

Dilling city- Abouzaid Village.

Funding Resources

By collecting voluntary donations from organisation staff and the two conflicting tribes and community leaders.

Organisations Involved

• Peace society (local organisation); and
• Shogara Charitable Association