From Conventional Peacebuilding Paradigms in Post-Conflict Settings and Reconstruction to Systemic Multi-Foci Approaches: The Case of Somaliland
Building on the work of Dr Victoria Fontan and others, Muhyadin Saed challenges conventional methods of peacebuilding, with specific reference to the experiences of Somaliland. Saed proposes a human-centred, rather than institutional, approach which considers the local people to be vital assets in the design and implementation of such projects. In order to achieve sustainable peace, Saed argues, the local people must be actively involved and considered to be more than recipients of outside assistance.
Politics of Transitional Justice Mechanisms from Below: The Case of Somaliland
This paper will discuss how the design and discourse of transitional justice mechanisms- which include and take into account the views and needs of civil society and affected communities- boost the legitimacy of the transitional process and the prospects for reconciliation. This process could be described as the politics of transitional justice mechanisms from below. The paper will focus on the Somaliland situation as a case study.
The paper will explain both the Somaliland alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanism and transitional justice as well as analyze in detail how the indigenous ADR mechanism has been used as tool for political transitional justice during the reconciliation period.
Lessons learned from the Somaliland reconciliation process will be briefly explained and some critiques and pitfalls of transitional justice in Somaliland will be raised.
Finally, the paper will conclude with some recommendations and observations about the usefulness of the traditional and indigenous ADR systems as reference examples for political transitional justice in similar situations around the world.