How can peacebuilding be effective in contexts with a legacy of ethnic wars, ethnic hostilities, and ethnic intolerance? This study argues that ‘reconciliation’ must be incorporated into peacebuilding efforts in order to achieve post-conflict development in ethnically divided societies and advocates a ‘Peacebuilding through Reconciliation’ approach. It views reconciliation as the transformation of relationships. This involves creating alliances for the benefit of the common good; and appealing to individual and group rationality to overcome destructive emotions for the sake of development. Whether peacebuilding is taking place at political, economic, social or infrastructural levels, it is important that peacebuilding processes are designed to break down, rather than reinforce, the dynamics of ethnic hostilities and ethnic intolerance.
The Peacebuilding through Reconciliation approach is based on the principles of equality, non-discrimination and communal functionalism. The premise is that interdependent ethnic groups are better off learning to coexist than being separated from one another after a violent conflict (unless a complete separation is possible and it resolves the core causes of conflict). Integrating reconciliation into political, economic, social, infrastructural and other levels of peacebuilding can help address the causes and consequences of ethnic conflict, in particular the legacy of ethnic animosities and intolerance. It is important to encourage former belligerents to work together and to ensure that they benefit equally from post conflict development. Specific aspects of Peacebuilding through Reconciliation include the following:
- For the society to be effective, its constituent groups must not be excluded from participation in the various processes through which society achieves human development.
- Dimensions of the approach include social, cultural, economic, political and physical transformations. For example, social and cultural processes of rehumanisation, the promotion of equal access to societal resources, the removal of ethno-nationalists from the political system, and the construction of infrastructure to serve all groups.
- To achieve trust, groups must transform their relationships not only through dialogue and inter-ethnic exchange but also through practical steps towards common goals.
- Projects can be undertaken by a variety of actors – local, national, international, at all levels of the society.
- The approach is more likely to be driven from the periphery – from innovative practice in local communities, non-governmental organisations and other grassroots initiatives.
- The role of the international actors should be to help create change that is sustainable at the local level.
Ethnic animosity and intolerance can manifest itself at all levels of the society. It prevents liberal democracy from taking place and hampers human development. At the same time, hostilities do not destroy the possibility of inter-ethnic cooperation. In fact, most ethnic groups coexist peacefully most of the time. Particular attention needs to be given to how to renew such coexistence and cooperation. Applying the liberal economic approach to post-conflict ethnically divided societies, without regard for the problem of ethnic animosities, can reinforce rather than address the problem. Reconciliation – understood as ‘the transformation of relationships’ – should be at the core of liberal development efforts. While democratic compromise produces solutions regarding issues in conflict, reconciliation addresses the relationships between those who will have to implement the solutions.
Many scholars argue for separation as a solution to ethnic conflict. However, complete separation among ethnic groups is difficult to achieve in many situations and separation can work only if all groups in the conflict see it as a solution. Furthermore, a lack of direct contact with the other group can deepen dehumanisation and fear. If it is not possible to completely separate the groups, the next best solution is to work on the transformation of hostile relationships into more positive and constructive ones.
