Despite the traditional elders efforts of advocacy,fundraising and assistance in the last six months for massive humanitarian needs in many regions of south/central Somalia,their traditional roles in peace building and conflict transformation activities were continued in parallel way.13 members from Benadir councils of clan elders paid cross visit to Somaliland to better learn the roles played by Somaliland traditional elders the reconciliation efforts that restored peace and security of Somaliland. This tour was facilitated by conflict transformation partnership project of Somali Peace Line (SPL)in partnership with Life & Peace Institute (LPI)which has been enhancing the elder�s capacities of conflict transformation and peace building since 2009.
Actually this was very important trip that elders found their weaknesses (for looking external support rather than self help scale) and the way forward and this was the outcome or lessons learnt from last project to learn from others.
The main objective of this field trip was to upgrade elders� capacity on traditional home grown modalities of conflict transformation led by traditional elders and Guurtis� in Somaliland to build their coping capacity in local context experiences.
Notably, this study tour had enabled the elders to realize fitting practical training in the field of conflict transformation through non violent means and familiarized the significant role of traditional elders holding in transforming conflicts in local coping mechanisms which they emphasised elders:
�Should be committed and forget self or clan interest
�Should take the leading role for every reconciliation meeting and
�Every meeting should be free from politicians and external influences.
�The hosts recommended also the fund of the meetings should be paid by the local community to build the ownership as Somali traditional local context conflict transformation.
The knowledge and experiences received in this study tour, taken the advantage of this positive outcome, the monthly forum for November 2011 hosted elders from other regions (two from each region)such as Jowhar, Baidoa and Merca with other relevant stakeholders. They were all enjoyed and influenced to realize the southern elders�weak points.
Further more, the elders learned that social integration is paramount of elders peace building initiative that they cannot work a lone in a vacuum that needs them to connect all other important social groups and opinion leaders.
It is a memorable that Somaliland women have taken very strong role in reconciliation meetings that included community mobilization, fundraising and coordination. All the people met did not just share the positive side of their achievements but they also shared their problems and challenges they come across and how they overcome the challenges.
Main Achievements
Elders have familiarized with the important role that the traditional elders hold in transforming conflicts in a non-violent way that will be exposed to the democratization efforts and making progress.
They were encouraged on self help mechanisms for social development
cultured the ways to Strategize , coordinate, participate and cooperate with all stakeholders and initiate conflict transformation at all level
Shared and understood the different roles that the Somaliland elders and Guurti in bringing about peace and stability in Somaliland with the challenges they had faced (example have not eaten food more than two consecutive days,some of them got injured by clan attack). Stamina,tolerance and local resource built community ownership was key for that conflict transformation
Understood the knowledge and experiences should be shared or exposed with other targeted regions of the actions and other social parts which is not in the council but important to innovate and modify the peace building activities.
Established linkage between Somaliland council Suldans and Banadir Council of elders.
Finally, the tour was very crucial at this stage and everyone was satisfied. The other important aspect in this cross visit was that BCE learned new people and new culture and new experiences. They established new relations with Somaliland Elders and Guurti for future collaborations and opened new chapter for both sides to contribute to wider Somalia. The study tour concluded successfully
November 15, 2011
SPL Programme Team
