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Rectifying Horizontal Inequalities: Lessons from African Conflict
Author: David McCoy
Date: 2008
Size:
19 pages
(820 KB)
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Summary
How can countries emerging from conflict create sustainable peace and stability? An article in the African Journal on Conflict Resolution argues countries must address the horizontal inequalities that cause many violent conflicts. The examples of Mali and Rwanda illustrate steps countries can take to rectify horizontal inequalities in post-conflict environments, providing long term conflict resolution.
Horizontal inequalities - inequalities between groups – are one of the most destructive and under-appreciated causes of violent conflict. The greater a society’s political, social or economic horizontal inequalities, the greater the chance for violent conflict to emerge. To ensure stability and development, societies that have experienced conflict resulting from horizontal inequalities must resolve these disparities.
In Mali, a six year conflict between the government and northern secessionists was caused by economic and political horizontal inequalities between northern and southern populations. Mali’s successful peace process resulted from a responsive government admitting past neglect,a peace accord addressing horizontal inequalities, and decentralisation giving secessionists a voice.
In Rwanda, the 1994 genocide of 800,000 Tutsis was caused by deep, systemic horizontal inequalities within the political, economic and military sectors of society. These inequalities affected the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority, and both sides suffered widespread violence. After the genocide, the new government had to resolve issues of economic and political exclusion, as well as reconciliation, property and governance.
While Mali is a successful post-conflict society, Rwanda has a long way to go. However, both provide key lessons for post-conflict nations where horizontal inequalities have caused conflict, and for the international community.
- Peace processes must be fluid, flexible, realistically timetabled, and include as many actors as possible. Timing is key: in Mali, both sides recognised they could gain more through dialogue than continued violence.
- To be effective, peace agreements must address the root causes of conflict as they relate to groups rather than individuals. Mali’s 1992 National Pact addressed grievances extremely well.
- Truth and reconciliation should focus on restorative justice rather than retribution, using processes like Rwanda’s Gacaca (community) courts, encouraging truth telling and forgiveness.
- Truth and reconciliation must be neutral and impartial, holding both sides accountable for their actions. In Mali, the government admitted that its policies harmed northern populations. In Rwanda, many view the reconciliation process as victor’s justice, with Tutsis not being punished for alleged war crimes.
- In both countries, citizenship issues were a major cause of conflict and a major issue in post-conflict reconstruction. All nations must construct citizenship identities fairly and equitably,and abide by refugee conventions.
- Property rights remain contentious in both countries. Equitable land access should be included in peace agreements.
- Domestic and international actors must explicitly address and rectify issues of economic, social, political and refugee injustices.
- The international community and those working in conflict management have the knowledge to rectify the horizontal inequalities that cause conflict. The gap between theory and practice must be bridged by long term commitment of human and financial resources.
- The international community must underwrite the financial burden of post-conflict reconstruction. A UN administered international peace fund is needed to ensure sustainable, consistent funding.
Access full text: available online
Source:
McCoy, D., 2008, 'Rectifying Horizontal Inequalities: Lessons from African Conflict', African Journal on Conflict Resolution, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 105-134
Author:
African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), http://www.accord.org.za
