Conflict Resolution Between Elsibai and Almalea

This initiative involved women from the two tribes collaborating on fundraising to resolve a dispute before a cycle of revenge killings started.

Description

This initiative was started by the Amel Voluntary Women’s Association in May and June 2007, and aimed to bring women into conflict resolution processes. The organisation worked with mothers of families and old women because they had great respect in the village, and asked them about the original purpose of the conflict. They found that animal owners from Malea who lived there in autumn had lost two of their children, and blamed the Sibai tribe. They said they had kidnapped the children and they insisted without hesitation that they would follow them until they killed one of their children. When the Sibai found this out they also try to follow Malea people and so on.

The conflict continued until the military came in to solve the problem. However before they started shooting guns they gave a chance to the Amel Voluntary Women's Association to solve the problem peacefully; they chose to take the risk of trying to enter the conflict area.

Aims / Objectives

Primarily to stop this silly conflict which has no base. Actually the Nuba Mountains suffered a lot during the war period, but there is no reason after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed to start a new conflict.

We also aim to open a window to show the importance of women in solving the conflict, to try to involve them and to say their words. We give women a chance to participate in solving problems, not to stay in their house waiting for their husband, father, or brother do things for them.

How it is Articulated

After learning the roots of the problem from women living in the 2 areas, we invited two tribe leaders to a wide seminar with a government representative present asking them what would be a suitable solution. The women suggested that each tribe pay as a way of saying sorry to the others and to fix things that were destroyed by conflict, leading to the signing of an agreement.

Our second task was to collect the money. We relied on women to take their hand-made things and sell them in the market, and the remaining money was paid by men. Here we aim to show them that they have things to do for conflict resolution. (The major idea in local areas in Sudan is that women cannot do anything, all difficulties will be solved by men only.) After they paid, they sat with the tribal leaders to write an agreement about living in the village peacefully. Then the women gathered in one village to agree on how to share things provided by UN, and they helped treat wounded people from the two tribes.

Achievements / Learning points

• We are proud of this resolution; hopefully all conflict in all areas is now solved.
• In Sudan when women do participate in an effective step, they rarely fully participate. We are really proud of getting women to participate in conflict resolution, and we showed tribal leaders the importance of women in this process.
• We found that women’s participation gave the discussion a spirit of cooperation.

Geographical Area of Operation

Sibai and Malea villages, Dilling.

Funding Resources

• United Nations (UN);
• CARE;
• Save the Children; and
• The Peace centre (a local centre in Dilling).

Organisations Involved

• Amel Voluntary Women association; and
• The Peace Centre (Dilling).