UKZN Academic Chairs Regional Peace Conference in DRC

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Dr Joseph Rudigi Rukema, a senior lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal co-organised and chaired a second annual regional conference on peace building held in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Held under the theme: Community dialogue as a tool for sustainable peace, this was the second conference of its kind co-organised and chaired by Rukema.

The conference was organised under sub-Saharan Africa University (Universite de l’Afrique sub-Saharienne) in DRC in collaboration with Durban University of Technology (International Centre of Nonviolence) in Durban South Africa.

The conference brought together 67 people from different sectors, including those from the academic community, civil society, faith communities, policy makers, members of local and international media and ordinary members of the community. Participants were from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa.  

Participants were afforded the opportunity to share their views on the importance of dialogue in building peace. Personal experiences and research findings conducted in the field of dialogue, peace and conflict resolution were also shared.

The conference was followed by intense interaction and discussions with local organisations, which led to the establishment of peace committees to follow up on the work of the conference.  At the end of the conference, all participants agreed that dialogue is the only way peace can be achieved where mistrust and intolerance have become part of daily experience and all pledged commitments to peace. 

After the conference, Rukema visited indigenous structures known as “Baraza la Wazee”. These are indigenous conflict resolution forums made of elders and men and women of integrity from different communities. ‘There was much to be learnt from this indigenous structure in terms of conflict resolution and social cohesion. It was amazing to see how conflicting parties with very long history of hostility were able to reconcile and share a drink in the same cup as a sign of reconciliation. Attendance to the Baraza la Wazee was a fascinating experience, which motivated me to initiate a project to record in form of visuals, the proceedings and process under which conflict resolution takes place under this local structure. The documentary is underway and should be ready in the near future (with subtitles in English),’ said Rukema. 

Words: NdabaOnline