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Organizing Ex-Combatants for Peace in Mozambique
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As violent civil conflicts end, ex-combatants are sometimes treated as a risk to social peace and stability. Yet, as one organization in Mozambique demonstrates, ex-combatants can be key players in the peacebuilding process, promoting peace and reconciliation, and mediating peaceful solutions to conflicts.
In 1995, two organizations serving ex-combatants from FRELIMO (Front for the Liberation of Mozambique) and RENAMO (Rebel Mozambique National Resistance), the opposing forces in the Mozambican civil conflict, created the Promotion of Peace (PROPAZ) programme. It grew out of the dissatisfaction and frustration felt by ex-combatants with the reintegration process and the need to find peaceful, non-violent solutions to conflicts that arose over issues of pensions and disarmament.
Originally the goal of PROPAZ was to train ex-combatants in peaceful conflict resolution techniques so that they could assist their colleagues through the difficulties of the reintegration. However, the programme quickly expanded to address conflicts and promote peace in the broader community. The mission of PROPAZ is “to promote peace, human rights, gender equality, unity and reconciliation through training programs in conflict resolution at the community and national levels.” The primary activities of the PROPAZ peace promoters are:
PROPAZ programme personnel use community seminars to identify possible peace promoters. These individuals are chosen based on interest and demonstrated skills. Their training consists of courses on community development, gender issues, conflict resolution and transformation.
After about four months of training, the new team of peace promoters begin to implemen the programme in their locality. PROPAZ attempts to build balanced teams with an equal number of individuals from FRELIMO and RENAMO. Dialogue is used to help the team members identify problem issues and develop solutions for moving forward. The teamwork by ex-combatants from each side of the civil war offers evidence to communities struggling with conflict that there is an alternative to violence.
PROPAZ peace promoters work with local leadership when attempting to establish a new peace project. Their first step is to approach local leaders to explain the programme, its goals, and methodology. These leaders are drawn from governmental, traditional and religious sectors.
Once the leaders agree, the team holds a public meeting to explain the concepts of conflict resolution. These meetings use theatre, poetry, and question and answer sessions to present the message. The goal is to educate the community about the need for peaceful conflict resolution and identify individuals to be trained in mediation skills.
Since 1995, PROPAZ has trained 150 ex-combatants as peace promoters in six of Mozambique’s ten provinces. Each province is divided into four districts served by a peace promoter team of five individuals. These promoters are working in over 100 communities to organize conflict resolution teams made up of community members including those who were not combatants. Through this structure, PROPAZ now involves over 1000 individuals in peacebuilding activities throughout the country.
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Resources used for this article:
Investment in Long-Term Peace: Economic, Social, and Transformative Reintegration of Youth Ex-Combatants in Northern Uganda. A report to the Amnesty Commission for Creating Current and Post-Conflict Programs to Effectively Reintegrate Youth LRA Combatants.
Struggles in Peacetime: Working with ex-combatants in Mozambique: Their Work, Their Frustration, and their Successes.
PROPAZ website
Lynette Parker
April 2007
Originally the goal of PROPAZ was to train ex-combatants in peaceful conflict resolution techniques so that they could assist their colleagues through the difficulties of the reintegration. However, the programme quickly expanded to address conflicts and promote peace in the broader community. The mission of PROPAZ is “to promote peace, human rights, gender equality, unity and reconciliation through training programs in conflict resolution at the community and national levels.” The primary activities of the PROPAZ peace promoters are:
- Training local mediators
- Facilitating the resolution of conflicts
- Public education on peaceful conflict resolution
PROPAZ programme personnel use community seminars to identify possible peace promoters. These individuals are chosen based on interest and demonstrated skills. Their training consists of courses on community development, gender issues, conflict resolution and transformation.
After about four months of training, the new team of peace promoters begin to implemen the programme in their locality. PROPAZ attempts to build balanced teams with an equal number of individuals from FRELIMO and RENAMO. Dialogue is used to help the team members identify problem issues and develop solutions for moving forward. The teamwork by ex-combatants from each side of the civil war offers evidence to communities struggling with conflict that there is an alternative to violence.
PROPAZ peace promoters work with local leadership when attempting to establish a new peace project. Their first step is to approach local leaders to explain the programme, its goals, and methodology. These leaders are drawn from governmental, traditional and religious sectors.
Once the leaders agree, the team holds a public meeting to explain the concepts of conflict resolution. These meetings use theatre, poetry, and question and answer sessions to present the message. The goal is to educate the community about the need for peaceful conflict resolution and identify individuals to be trained in mediation skills.
Since 1995, PROPAZ has trained 150 ex-combatants as peace promoters in six of Mozambique’s ten provinces. Each province is divided into four districts served by a peace promoter team of five individuals. These promoters are working in over 100 communities to organize conflict resolution teams made up of community members including those who were not combatants. Through this structure, PROPAZ now involves over 1000 individuals in peacebuilding activities throughout the country.
______________________________________
Resources used for this article:
Investment in Long-Term Peace: Economic, Social, and Transformative Reintegration of Youth Ex-Combatants in Northern Uganda. A report to the Amnesty Commission for Creating Current and Post-Conflict Programs to Effectively Reintegrate Youth LRA Combatants.
Struggles in Peacetime: Working with ex-combatants in Mozambique: Their Work, Their Frustration, and their Successes.
PROPAZ website
Lynette Parker
April 2007
Last modified 2007-03-27 09:23
