Use mediation mechanisms to resolve inter-party conflicts - WANEP

Ada, Dec. 10, GNA - Mr Emmanuel Bombande, Executive Director of West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) on Saturday called on Political Parties to adopt third-party procedural assistance to resolve intra and inter party conflicts.

"For the attainment of common political goals, individuals or groups who profess to a familiar political ideological persuasion needs to build upon objectives that concretise their relationships for the general growth of the party instead of dwelling on personal interest, which aggravate conflicts," Mr Bombande stated. He emphasis, that parties must create the framework within which conflicts unfold non-violently and creatively with the capacity for the restoration of relationships, establishment of justice, and the creation of just social systems that serve the needs of the whole population. The WANEP Executive Director stated at a three-day capacity building workshop on: "Experience Sharing Session In Conflict Transformation," organised by the National Peace Council (NPC) with support from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) National and regional executives at Ada Foah near Accra.

The workshop the first of the series, seeks to strengthen the capacities and competencies of political parties to facilitate the timely and non-violence resolution of conflicts. It also seeks to ensure that the internal and inter party progressions for the contestation and attainment of power is dynamic, nevertheless non-violent, to strengthen political movements and deepens the country's democratic traditions.

Mr Bombande explained that conflict is the energy that builds up when individuals or groups of people pursue incompatible goals in their drive to meet their needs and interests. Intra and inter party conflicts are, therefore normal, inevitable, necessary and serve as signals indicating the need to create or modify rules, norms, laws and institutions.

He urged political parties to create "safe space" for aggrieved individuals or parties pour out their grievances, establish consensus on ground rules for conflict resolution and allow mediators and parties to fully hear each other as well as allow the mediators opportunity to summarise issues in language acceptable to all parties. He tasked political parties, especially the executives to develop relationship-building skills - attentively listen to all shades of opposition within and without, appreciate the commonalities and good intentions, acknowledge feelings and fears of the individual or group. Parties must create a platform for protagonists to engage in direct dialogue, draw people out in caucus, affirm parties and celebrate progress. The WANEP Executive Director also urged mediators and executives to maintain control of the process, help parties reach consensus on agenda and agenda order, use impartial language at all times, clarify issues and point out commonalities for reaching an agreement. The agreement should state clearly WHO is agreeing to WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW. The disputants' wording can be used whenever possible. An effective mediation agreement should be specific, clear about deadlines, balanced, realistic, clear and simple, proactive and signed by everyone present, Mr Bombande said. The Right Reverend Francis Lodonu, Bishop of Ho Diocese of the Catholic Church and a Council Member of the National Peace Council said all active registered political parties would benefit from the training programme. To ensure that parties create spaces for dialogue within and among groups to interrogate challenges and to search for solutions in a supportive and mutually reinforcing manner. In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Daouda Toure, UN Resident Coordinator noted that experience over the world indicates that democracy is inherently conflictual, yet it is the only acceptable basis for acquiring political power. "It then behoves on all of us to ensure that the internal and inter party processes for the contestation and acquisition of power is vigorous but non-violent," he said. Mr Toure whose speech was read by Mr Ozonnia Ojielo UNDP Senior Governance Adviser called on the Electoral Commission, Politicians, Media and other democratic stakeholders including civil society players to pool the experiences of the past four general elections to ensure that Elections 2008 is non-violent. Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, Omanhene of the Techiman Traditional Area and Nene Narno Tawiah Kokotey IV, Chief of Ada Foah jointly chaired the workshop. 10 Dec. 06