Building paths to peace: Bo Peace and Reconciliation Movement

Foreword 

It is amazing to see the path that the partnership between the local community peacebuilding organization, Bo Peace and Reconciliation Movement (BPRM) and an international organization like Conciliation Resources (CR) has taken after over a decade of working together. We have moved from supporting a group of individuals who followed a deep desire to see peace and the healing of the psychological and physical wounds caused by ten years of brutal war in their communities.

Now we are in partnership with a formidable organization, one respected for their dedication, impartiality, and success in resolving conflicts from the domestic level to power related chieftaincy disputes, some of which had remained unresolved for thirty to forty years. The success of their work is based on using a core of ‘peace monitors’, respected individuals who facilitate the conflict resolution processes. This complements the greatly valued role of mediator that is an integral part of Sierra Leone’s culture.

Building peace in a nation that has been ravaged by war needs to involve government, civil society and dedicated individuals. In the war that Sierra Leone experienced from 1991 to 2001 most of the violence and carnage was played out at rural community level. The war reached almost every corner of the country. It was clear to CR and BPRM that in order for a peace process to mean something genuine to the people of the country it needed to be felt at community level.

The causes of Sierra Leone’s war are varied and complex although often simplified to being about resources, namely diamonds. A long history of economic mismanagement, political violence and social and political marginalization are some of the main factors.

As we work with our partners on peacebuilding issues at the community level we see how these root causes continue to destabilize communities. Larger conflicts are still caused by imbalance of power between rural and urban areas and within rural communities. Despite a national government and its decentralized local government apparatus through local councils, chiefs continue to hold major political power. They are the government of the people, and also traditionally mediators in conflict. Misuse of this power, however provided a foundation for many vengeful acts during the war, and continues to fuel conflicts today.

Another root cause of the war was the disenfranchised youth. Youths made easy conscripts for the war, not only as a result of the lack of economic opportunities but also because of their social and political exclusion. Solutions to the current marginalization of youths need to acknowledge this.
Added to this the war reversed traditional social hierarchies. Elders, who were traditionally protectors of the community, fled to safety while the youths stayed to defend their villages and also to commit atrocities. When the elders later returned to take their ruling positions it was hard for the youths to relinquish their power, some of whom had high-ranking positions within their militia.

These scenarios continue to drive conflict and tensions in Sierra Leone’s communities. The challenge is to facilitate them in a way that leads to their resolution, reconciliation, and also prevention as communities and individuals develop the skills and capacity to manage conflict and engage in development more effectively.

Over five years after the official end of the war, many of its causes remain unaddressed. Conciliation Resources in partnership with the Bo Peace and Reconciliation Movement will continue to place a focus on community peacebuilding, trying to make the links at the national and international levels.

Mariama Konneh
West Africa Programme Director

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