Peace Building Awareness Workshop: Lilongwe, Malawi

The Lilongwe Cooperation Circle, organized a two day training workshop for fifteen participants led by two facilitators in December, 2002. While there is no war in Malawi, the country experiences religious, political, economic and social conflicts, often marked by intolerance that erupts into violence. The broad aim of the workshop was to create awareness of the causes, structures and management of conflict, and to develop skills of conflict transformation so that participants could return to their diverse institutions as agents of peace.

Following are some of the tools and activities utilized to build this awareness:

• Participants drew simple pictures as a way to talk about reasons for conflict at all levels. Through role-play and dramatization, participants discussed different forms of conflict management.
• Communication skills needed to deal with conflict were illustrated through the ?broken telephone?game.
• ?I? messages were practiced whereby when resolving conflict each participant talks about themselves and how they feel rather than accusing the other person in some way.
• Active Listening was practiced as a method of solving problems and decreasing chances of misunderstanding the others.
• Participants role-played a religious conflict mediation.
• Participants listed forces that drive people towards violence such as fear, anger, helplessness, frustration, competition for resources and dynamics between rich and poor. Discussion of forces that restrain people from violence such as desire for peace, ethical teachings, respect for human life, intermarriages, economic interdependency, personal friendships, value and upbringing. It was pointed out that violence is likely when negative forces overwhelm the positive ones. It was discussed that violence should not be used to resolve conflict because both the aggressor and the attacked are losers.
• Group activities and role-plays were done to illustrate that non-violent action is essential element in conflict transformation and peace building.

During the plenary the following examples of tactics of non-violent action in response to violent situations came up; Women stripping naked in protest of tribal war, placing a live baby in the middle of battle and lying down in front of a combat

Groups also discussed the following:

• Symbols can play a powerful role in arousing conflict as well as reducing it e.g. temples, sacred time and event, religious holidays sacred animals etc.
• Authority can play a powerful role in arousing violence and reducing it e.g. religious leaders can create a strong sense of belonging or can reduce the ability of militant leaders to attract followers.

In groups, participants brainstormed on how communities can be made more peaceful, and the consequences of violence on development. They examined how intolerance, a common aspect in Malawi, can erupt into violence, and examined the constitution of Malawi for sections that address peace.

The justice of the Western legal system was discussed, specifically how it encourages human rights and the rule of law but it is punitive, conflictual, impersonal and state centered. It encourages the denial of responsibility and empathy on the part of offenders. It leaves victims out ignoring their needs it doesn?t heal their wounds.

Participants also discussed the following:

• Examples of people, organizations, other religions that worked successfully with people of their religion.
• What attitudes of other religions are offensive to their religion
  Examples of practices, assumptions of their religion that may be hurtful to other beliefs; Texts or doctrines most likely to be employed in support of violence.
• How politicians use religion for political ends and negotiating for peace in the eventual conflicts.
• The role of religious leadership in conflict or in peace building.

This workshop was led by URI Peacebuilders Bruno Banda and Eve Maliwichi. To learn more about Bruno and Eve, visit our Members Corner.

This workshop was sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace through a grant to URI.