‘There's no bad bush to throw away a bad child’: ‘tradition’-inspired reintegration in post-war Sierra Leone

2008 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Stovel
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
African Society ◽  
Peaceful Coexistence ◽  
Displaced People ◽  
Post War

ABSTRACTGovernment and civil society leaders in African transitional states often use rituals and expressions inspired by tradition to facilitate the integration of ex-combatants and displaced people. In Sierra Leone, the expression ‘There's no bad bush to throw away a bad child’, conveys a vision of African society as inherently forgiving and inclusive, and of Africans as needing to be amongst their own people. This ideal was perfectly suited for the needs of an impoverished state seeking to ease the strain on cities, and relying on communities' organic capacities to absorb their own people. This research draws on interviews with diverse Sierra Leoneans to examine the assumptions behind this communitarian ideal. It argues that while ‘There is no bad bush … ’ promotes a form of reconciliation defined as peaceful coexistence, it lacks the elements of justice required for deep reconciliation to occur.

Beyond the 'Crisis of Youth'? Mining, farming, and civil society in post-war Sierra Leone

2010 ◽  
Vol 109 (435) ◽  
pp. 251-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Fanthorpe ◽  
R. Maconachie
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Post War

The foundations of peaceful coexistence after the war ... Mosul is a model

2019 ◽  
pp. 178
Author(s):  
Omar Hashim Thanon
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Peaceful Coexistence ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Mass Displacement ◽  
The Common ◽  
Near Term ◽  
Post War ◽  
Common Destiny

Since peaceful coexistence reflects in its various aspects the concept of harmony between the members of the same society with their different national, religious and sectarian affiliations, as well as their attitudes and ideas, what brings together these are the common bonds such as land, interests and common destiny. But this coexistence is exposing for crises and instability and the theft of rights and other that destroy the communities with their different religious, national, sectarian, ethnic aspects, especially if these led to a crisis of fighting or war, which produces only destruction and mass displacement, ttherefore, the process of bridging the gap between the different parts of society in the post-war phase through a set of requirements that serve as the basis for the promotion of peaceful coexistence within the same country to consolidate civil and community peace in order to create a general framework and a coherent basis to reconstruct the community again.      Hence the premise of the research by asking about the extent of the possibility and ability of the community of religious and ethnic diversity, which has been exposed to these crises, which aimed at this diversity, basically to be able to rise and re-integrate within the same country and thus achieve civil and community peace, and Mosul is an example for that, the negative effects of the war and the accomplices of many criminal acts have given rise to hatred and fear for all, leading to the loss of livelihoods, which in the long term may have devastating social and psychological consequences.        To clarify all of this, the title of the first topic was a review of the concept and origin of peaceful coexistence. While the second topic dealt with the requirements of peaceful coexistence and social integration in Mosul, the last topic has identified the most important challenges facing the processes of coexistence and integration in Mosul. All this in order to paint a better future for the conductor at all levels in the near term at the very least to achieve the values of this peaceful coexistence, especially in the post-war period.

The Paradox of Planning: Agriculture, Schooling, and the Unresolvable Uncertainty of Ideal Family Size in Rural Sierra Leone

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Catherine E. Bolten ◽  
Richard Marcantonio
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Family Size ◽  
Optimal Number ◽  
Population Pressure ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Ideal Family ◽  
Post War ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Agricultural Decline

Abstract Post-war Sierra Leone has experienced a population explosion that has raised questions among rural farmers about the relationship between family size and poverty. Agricultural decline and the high cost of schooling are not prompting parents to articulate a desire for smaller families; rather, they highlight that the uncertainty around articulating the “right” number of children is unresolvable because the ability to send children to school is predicated on increasing agricultural outputs that decline precisely because population pressure has reduced soil fertility. Bolten and Marcantonio conclude that this renders family size the heart of a paradox, where there is no optimal number of children.

scholarly journals Examining the Role of Economic Actors in Post-war Reintegration Processes: Case of Sierra Leone.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 158-167
Author(s):  
MaryAnne Iwara
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Planning Strategy ◽  
Social Contracts ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Aid Dependency ◽  
Post War ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
National Governments

This paper examines post-conflict peacebuilding activities in Sierra Leone by critically looking at the role of economic actors in the reintegration process of its post-war Disarmament Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) initiative. The civil war that lasted for 11 years in Sierra Leone, put doubts on the national governments ability to effectively provide both victims and perpetuators, the necessary protection and assistance needed to fully assume responsibilities within the communities. Because of this, poverty was further entrenched, thereby increasing the countries susceptibility to return to conflict. Though reintegration processes are continuous, integrative and involve exhaustive budgetary commitments, the process, in Sierra Leone was short-termed, not well coordinated and took time to begin delivering. With the United Nations, World Bank and the weak national government leading the process, financing was often insufficient or late, in combination with the lack of a coherent planning strategy; all these factors contributed to lapses in socio-economic profiling, skills and vocational training and spread disillusionment and resentment among ex-combatants and victims. Using content analysis, the paper argues that, post-war countries need active, equitable and profitable economic sectors if they are to graduate from conflict and from post-conflict aid-dependency. Moreover, as social contracts and corporate social responsibility to communities they govern and operate in, economic actors must create enabling environments and, generate jobs to support legitimate local capacities. The utility of this paper lies in the idea that for any post-conflict country to attain long-term social and economic development, reintegration programme design and activities, must holistically incorporate critical economic actors.  

Responsible reconstruction after war: meeting local needs for building peace

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTINE CUBITT
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Local Politics ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Weak States ◽  
Policy Practice ◽  
Sustainable Peace ◽  
Reconstruction Project ◽  
Post War ◽  
The Cost

AbstractContemporary peacebuilding operations are often mandated to rebuild ‘collapsed’ or weak states and provide unique opportunities for internationals to exert far reaching influence in their reconstruction. The responsibility to help secure peaceful transformations and longer term stability is profound. This article explores the issue of efficacy and propriety in reconstruction programming and draws from field work in Sierra Leone – a rare example of ‘success’ for international partners in peacebuilding missions. The assertion is made that, despite the euphoria over the mission in Sierra Leone, the peacebuilding operations were more about the mechanics of statebuilding than the local politics of building peace, and that there was a distinct disconnect between the policy rhetoric and the policy practice. The argument is put that the pressing local concern of giving citizens a stake in government was not best served in the reconstruction project because the wider and more influential objectives of the peacebuilding mission were about meeting international goals not local aspirations. This reality has come at the cost of exploiting a unique opportunity for creative thinking about the kind of state structures which can better address the main challenges for sustainable peace facing post-war states like Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone in the Post-War World

1959 ◽  
Vol 58 (232) ◽  
pp. 210-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. B. COTAY
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Post War

Gender democracy and women’s self-empowerment: a case of Somali diaspora civil society

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Tavanti ◽  
Cawo Abdi ◽  
Blaire MacHarg
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Capacity Development ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Transitional Societies ◽  
Somali Diaspora ◽  
Civil Society Organisations ◽  
The Status ◽  
Post War

The Somali diaspora plays a vital role in bridging the gap between international non- governmental aid organisations and local Somali civil society. Women’s empowerment initiatives face many challenges in transitional societies such as Somalia. Yet, concerted efforts and multi-faceted investments in this endeavour have the potential to improve the status of women in post-war contexts. This chapter explores the role that Somali diaspora civil society organisations (SD-CSOs) engaged in gender democracy and women’s self-empowerment efforts play in the promotion of gender equality. Through an analysis of capacity development at the meso-level, the study outlines how SD-CSOs are best equipped to support women’s empowerment processes in Somalia through the application of strategies that are both culturally acceptable and internationally recognised.

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