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Freds- och konfliktforskning

Mano river basin area : formal and informal security providers in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone

Upphovspersoner: Jörgel, Magnus | Utas, Mats
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Urban Dynamics | Stockholm : Defence analysis, Swedish defence research agency (FOI)
År: 2007
Ämnesord: West Africa, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mano River, ECOWAS, African Union, Security sector reform, Informal sector, Regional security, Peacekeeping, Development strategy, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning

Sexual abuse survivors and the complex of traditional healing : (G)local prospects in the aftermath of an African war

Upphovsperson: Utas, Mats
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2009
Ämnesord: Civil war, sexual abuse, Women, victims, Humanitarian assistance, Traditional medicine, healing, Post-conflict reconstruction, Reconciliation, Sierra Leone, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
In its efforts to assist post-conflict societies in africa the international aid community has acitvely promoted projects of psycho-social healing among people traumatized during wars and violent conflict. To a large degree these projects have been established in the tradtion of Western psychology. More recently, however, it has been realized in order to help survivors of war effectivley it is necessary to adapt projects and enhance “local” psycho-social healing. This policy report locates the structures – with local legitimacy – that are available to young people who experienced sexual abuse during the Sierra Leone civil war (1991–2002). To this end, this booklet discusses a healing complex that comprises a number of overlapping actors, including herbalists, Zoe Mammies (heads of the female secret societies), Mori-men (Muslim healers); Karamokos (Muslim teachers) and Christian pastors. CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Scope of the study 2.1 Methods 2.2 Research ethichs 3. Limitations of the study 4. War-related sexual abuse 4.1 Quantitative findings 4.2 Qualitative findings 4.3 Turning a page? Sexual abuse in post-war reality 5. Variations of traditional healing 5.1 Notes on mental illness in Sierra Leone 5.2 The healing complex6. Traditional healing of sexual abuse 6.1 From the girls’ and young women’s perspective 6.2 The herbalist 6.3 The Karamoko and the Mori-man 6.4 The Soweh mammy and female herbalist (Kuntumoi musu) 6.5 Cleansing the bush 6.6 The pastor 6.7 Talking trauma – notes on counselling 7. Findings and recommendations 7.1 Social approaches towards the sexually abused 7.2 Girls’ and young women’s practices related totraditional healing 7.3 Findings on traditional healers 7.4 Recommendations Appendices

Somalia : a nation without a state

Medarbetare: Booth, Charlotte | Norberg, Carin
Utgivare: Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2008
Ämnesord: Somalia, Nation-building, Civil war, conflicts, Democratization, Foreign intervention, Peacekeeping, Political crisis, political history, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
Report from four public seminars on the conflict in Somalia, held during October and November 2007 in Stockholm, Sweden with Nuruddin Farah, Somali Novelist, Roland Marchal, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre d’Études et de Recherches Internationales, Paris, Asha Hagi, member of the Somalia Transitional Federal Parliament and civil society activist, Jens Odlander, Swedish Ambassador for the Somali Peace Process, Shane Quinn, Programme officer at the Life and Peace Institute, Sweden, and Sahra Bargadle and Hayan Ismail from the swedish-somali Diaspora. Marika Fahlén, Special Advisor for the Horn of Africa at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs acted as moderator for the panel discussion.The seminars were jointly organized by the Life and Peace Institute, The Nordic Africa Institute and ABF Stockholm.

Ethnic militias and the threat to democracy in post-transition Nigeria

Upphovsperson: Agbu, Osita
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2004
Ämnesord: Armed forces, ethnic conflicts, democratization interethnic relations, militarism, violence, Nigeria, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
The democratic opening presented by Nigeria’s successful transition to civil rule (June 1998 to May 1999) unleashed a host of hitherto repressed or dormant political forces. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly difficult to differentiate between genuine demands by these forces on the state and outright criminality and mayhem. Post-transition Nigeria is experiencing the proliferation of ethnic militia movements purportedly representing, and seeking to protect, their ethnic interests in a country, which appears incapable of providing the basic welfare needs of its citizens. It is against the background of collective disenchantment with the Nigerian state, and the resurgence of ethnic identity politics that this research interrogates the growing challenge posed by ethnic militias to the Nigerian democracy project. The central thesis is that the over-centralization of power in Nigeria’s federal practice and the failure of post-transitional politics in genuinely addressing the “National Question, has resulted in the emergence of ethnic militias as a specific response to state incapacity. The short- and long-term threats posed by this development to Nigeria’s fragile democracy are real, and justify the call for a National Conference that will comprehensively address the demands of the ethnic nationalities.

Mapping Darfur

Medarbetare: Rosquist, Catrin | Norberg, Carin
Utgivare: Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2007
Ämnesord: Sudan, Darfur., Civil war, ethnic conflicts, Dispute settlement, Peace Agreement, International cooperation, Conference reports, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
The Darfur Peace Agreement was signed on 5 May 2006 in Abuja, Nigeria. It has not brought safety to the people of Darfur. The humanitarian crisis continues to be deeply worrying despite aspirations to achieve improved conditions for the suffering population of Darfur. The report Mapping Darfur is published one year after the peace agreement was signed. It is based on a series of seminars during February and March 2007 organised by the Nordic Africa Institute, the Life and Peace Institute and ABF Stockholm. The key intention was to increase knowledge and good understanding of the underlying causes of the crisis in Darfur through contributions from different actors and observers, such as academia, politicians and humanitarian aid workers.

Conflict as integration : youth aspiration to personhood in the teleology of Sierra Leone's 'senseless war'

Upphovsperson: King, Nathaniel
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet | Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2007
Ämnesord: Civil war, conflicts, attitudes, public opinion polls, social surveys, youth, child soldiers, Sierra Leone, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
The rebel war in Sierra Leone has been given various characterisations. One of the most commonplace of them brands it a ‘senseless war’. In this study the author examines the views of the Sierra Leoneans themselves on this notion, and through a sociological lens he explores the “youthscape“ of the war. The study also revisits some of the central works on the Sierra Leonean war by authors such as Paul Richards, Ibrahim Adbdullah and Yusuf Bangura.

Reconciling winners and losers in post-conflict elections in West Africa : political and policy imperatives

Upphovspersoner: Norberg, Carin | Obi, Cyril
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet | Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2007
Ämnesord: elections, Electoral systems, Voting, political participation, Democratization, Peaceful coexistence, Conference reports, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
In post-conflict societies, elections play several roles. They provide citizens with the opportunity to freely chose their leaders and representatives, and provide countries emerging from civil wars with new opportunities to come to terms with a traumatic past and rebuild their lives and societies in a secure and stable environment. For the international community, post-conflict elections lend credibility to peace agreements and provide an exit strategy. However, when elections are poorly timed or administered, and outstanding issues of justice, participation, national ownership and sustainability of the peace process are not well addressed, there is always a chance that the entire process may unravel. This report based on the debates and discussions of a panel debate on Winners and Losers in Post-Conflict Elections in West Africa, draws on insights from post-conflict elections in the sub-region and provides some crucial policy recommendations as well as areas for further research.

Does one size fit all? : the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission revisited

Upphovsperson: Sesay, Amadu
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2007
Ämnesord: Civil war, conflicts, violence, Reconciliation, Post-conflict reconstruction, Peace building, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Sierra Leone, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
Societies emerging from protracted conflict and violence face numerous challenges at the individual, community and national levels. Accordingly, a variety of strategies have been suggested for "healing" the wounds of the past and coping with the future, thereby facilitating national reconciliation and peace buildings. One of these approaches is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, TRC, believed to provide a veritable platform for victims and perpetrators alike, to have a voice that would enable them to come to terms with the horrifying past. In Africa, TRCs as strategies for coming to terms with the past in Africa came into prominence following the example of South Africa after the end of apartheid in 1994. Since then, TRCs have been set up in Rwanda and Sierra Leone, while one has been proposed for Liberia. From such a standpoint it is tempting to argue that there has emerged what we can call  a  "one size fits all" syndrome, that is, if the TRC "worked" for South Africa, a position that is the subject of intense debate within and outside that country, then it is "good" for Sierra Leone, Liberia or any other African society that is emerging from protracted violent conflict. The main purpose of this study, therefore, is to draw attention to the TRC phenomenon in Sierra Leone, to stimulate discussion on the diverse questions surrounding its rationale, processes and outcomes, especially its impacts on post conflict reconciliation in the country. Another goal of the project is to document the multiple and conflicting perceptions among various groups in the TRC processes, and how such perceptions were reflected in the Commission's work and recommendations. Finally, it is expected that the study would form the basis for future empirically grounded research and policy analysis, more extensive research and perhaps even collaboration, between the author and those working on innovative but home-grown mechanisms for promoting reconciliation in post war Sierra Leone and elsewhere.

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