By CrossRiverWatch admin
Members of Partnership For Peace, P4P Cross River State Chapter have concluded a two days capacity building training on Conflict Analysis in Calabar.
The Facilitator, Dr. Naomi Akpan-Ita, Executive Director, Impact for Change And Development, IMPACT defined conflict Analysis as “A process through which a conflict is closely examined in order to understand its causes, identify the actors as well as the trend, and establish a basis upon which strategies can be developed and interventions planned”.
Furthermore, she maintained that conflicts are analyzed to “better understand the historical and structural antecedents as well as current events; Identify actors, their perception of the conflict and how they relate to each other; Understand factors and trends that underpin it; Learn from past experiences; and more accurately strategize on interventions”.
Dr. Naomi added that conflicts are analyzed based on structures, actors and dynamics. She listed the following as elements of analyzing a conflict: Where is the conflict? Who are the parties? What is the conflict about? When did it begin? Why the conflict? How is the conflict progressing? And what do we do to end it?
Tools and models for analyzing conflict according to her are “Tree, Pillars, Timeline, Palm, Onion Model, ABC Triangle, and Conflict Mapping.”
She concluded by itemizing the following as challenges of conflict analysis: Time: Seen by some as time wasting and delaying direct intervention.
Dynamics or Phase of engagement: – Dynamics of conflict affect analysis as data changes with events; – Entry point for analysis (e.g. escalating or crisis phases); – Request for diagnosis that will fit available prescriptions.
Triggers: -Triggers could become more critical to a conflict than observable trends and indicators.
Behaviors of stakeholders: Difficult to analyze; interests are hidden and shadow actors may be unknown.
The training was facilitated by the Peace Building unit of Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta, PIND which sponsors Partners For Peace, an NGO dedicated to mediating in conflicts.