The issue of protecting peace is one of the major concerns among the people of Ethiopia to transfer humanity to next generation. Currently, violence is persisting in some parts of the country due to various reasons.
According to Muferiyat Kamil, Minister of Peace, selfishness, defiance of rule of law, and irresponsible acts of some leadership are among major causes of conflict and political instability in some part of the country over the last few years. Since the great majority of the Ethiopian people are religious, religious institutions have been playing significant role in maintaining peace and stability in the country. As to her, peace is a prerequisite for the survival, not only for human beings but also the whole universe interact with human beings.
Prof. Hisqiyase Assefa, a religious researcher who experienced in conflict resolutions in various African countries says that the concept of peace building should start from personal attitude towards others. According to Hisqiyas, lack of synergy, the existing of irresponsible political leaders and some scholars are some of the major factors affecting sustainable peace in Ethiopia. As to him, research-based solutions should come first so as to help identifying the exact problems of conflict, to reduce conflicts and to seek lasting peace across the nation.
Prof. Hisqiyase recalls the role being played by traditional social organizations such as Idir and Iqube. In the long historic experience of social interaction in Ethiopia, these organizations have been playing a decisive role in reducing conflicts and enhancing communities help each other, he says. Idirs are one of the most common social organizations and almost all Ethiopian families make a membership at least in one of them.
Traditionally, an idir was used to be formed by residents of a certain community so as to facilitate sympathy and empathy for grieved families as a result of death of its member. The idirs will also support the grieved family with some amount of money from the deposit that members monthly contribute. Nevertheless, that is not all! As a rule, any member of idir has an obligation to attend the funeral and pay a visit to the grieving family for condolences.
The idir on the other hand has to facilitate every need be it for the funeral or the condolences. It has to install a big tent at the gate of or inside the compound of the grieved family, and equip it with all the necessary furniture (chairs, mats, etc) and house hold materials enough for accommodating idir members, the deceased family members, relatives and friends as well as other acquaintances that will come to them to pay condolence.
The idir members are also required by the norm to supply foodstuff for all attendees at least for three consecutive days since the death of the person, but made in turns. The idir members as a norm also required to attend the dinner programs or risk to pay some amount, as punishment for failures.
The most important thing about the idirs, here, is that the public venue they facilitate on events such as funeral or wedding. Members will find there an important venue to discuss all matters of common interest. Not only for information exchanging. They also facilitate communal debates particularly among the elders and finally come up with resolutions if they have encountered any problem in their vicinity.
That is how they were playing significant role in maintaining peace and stability in the country. Likewise, Iqub in Ethiopia is another important communal organization voluntarily formed by groups of people so as to make financial saving, and get start-up money, from members’ contributions, mostly on the weekly basis.
Members collect their deposits in turn or as demands made to rescue someone in the membership financial encounters. In any case, iqubs also play a decisive role in facilitating communal discussion forums for members, apart from entertaining together on various occasions. One of the talking points for their members is usually addressing problems, including crimes or any other causes of insecurity. The most amazing reality in the Ethiopian context is membership of the idirs, iqubs, and several other traditional social clubs rules out religion, tribe or any other social classifications for membership.
The requirement is only interest. So, we need to encourage those traditional organizations to continue their roles in resolving conflicts and maintaining peace and security across the country, as Prof. Hisqiyase says. Now we are also having other modern tailor-made social clubs. Juhar Sultan is a 5th year law student and peace building trainer in “Students’ Peace Club” at Addis Ababa University.
He says that the peace club was established 13 years ago so as to help facilitate a platform of communicating in the university is the main purpose. According to Juhar, students have different religions, come from different regions, and speak different languages setting round when discussing about conflict resolution and role of peace for students in particular and societies in general within the club.
“Providing training to newly admitted students and prepare panel discussion on the issue of peace are some of the basic activities of the club that to help actualize the intended goal.” Particularly, during the panel discussions, Board officials, higher governmental authorities and other stakeholders active participate in discussions organized twice in a year, it has a significant role to meet the club objectives through selecting attractive issues of the discussion, it is also significant to obtain funds to help peace discussion forums, Juhar added. On the other hand, the existence of pre-conflict resolution system in Addis Ababa University has been playing a vital role in preempting potential conflicts. For this reason, the club is unique from other similar peace clubs in higher academic institutions in the country, he elaborated.
As Muferiyat Kamil, Minister of Peace said, although, religious leaders and institutions have a lion share of responsibility in reducing conflicts, it is the duty of each citizen to build sustainable peace in the country.
We need to maintain peace and stability so as to smoothly continue the ongoing reforms, protect human rights; resources, ensure rule of law, among others
Herald December 29/2018
BY MESERET BEHAILU
