Peacebuilding refers to interventions that aim at ceasing or rather preventing violence from occurring again. It creates peace that is sustainable indefinitely (USIP, 2014). Such interventions focus more on the main cause or the probable cause of violence. Essentially, peacebuilding activities provide the society with peaceful methodologies of resolving conflict. In addition, it ensures that the society is stable politically and economically (USIP, 2014). The government in that case ought to be an active participant during the process. The establishment of effective dialogue has the potential to create peace, but the extremists who want the process to deliver immediately hinder peacebuilding.
Introduction to solution
The activities involved in peacebuilding are diverse and often vary based on the situation at hand and the agent spearheading the process. Nevertheless, this dissertation identifies transformative dialogue to be a vital tool in that respect. An effective peacebuilding mission ought to rely on the notion that the locals have regarding peace. It also focuses on the prevailing activities on the ground that may foster conflict (USIP, 2014). This type of dialogue relies on the communication process. The conflicting sides get a chance to express their points of disparities.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Argument in support of dialogue as a solution
Dialogue is important because it is an inclusive process (UNDP, 2009). It is both a way of relating and a kind of conversation which emphasizes upon learning, listening, and the creation of a shared understanding. Unlike other modes of communication, dialogue eliminates the tendency of participants becoming defensive with their opinions since its aim is to improve relationships between people with significant differences.
There are three main elements that make dialogue successful. These are the identification and suspension of assumptions, listening, and inquiry into other’s thoughts to create a collective decision. Assumptions affect how people interpret information and should thus be eliminated to create effective problem-solving strategies. When people listen genuinely to each other before judging, they develop new insights into the other party which helps in the creation of understanding. Finally, collective thought in dialogue ensures all participants contribute to an idea to create a whole integrated view that is best for them (Maiese, 2003).
Dialogue has been used in different parts of the world for peacebuilding with great success. Examples include the avertion of a possible crisis in Mauritania between 2003 and 2004. The crisis arose from poverty and political unrest, but the dialogue between the opposition, government, and other members of the civil society laid it to rest (UNDP, 2009). The dialogue works by creating a channel of trust and communication in such situations and thus promoting the peacebuilding process.
Introduction to counterargument
Extremists view dialogue as a process that does not quarantine the society with peace. A good case is the recent war evidenced in South Sudan. There was fallout between President Salva Kirk and his vice-president Riek Machar following the peace agreement that was formerly signed (Fortin, 2016). In 1995, the peacekeeping mission of the Dutch in Srebrenica backfired and saw thousands of people being massacred. The genocide in Rwanda back in 1994 is also one of the instances where the Kofi Annan peacekeeping mission via dialogue failed to bear fruit and led to genocide (Maiese, 2003).
Counter Argument
Dialogue is effective in a variety of cases. It has been used in the past in both local and international settings to create peace. Some of the issues that have been solved through dialogue include divisive public issues, multiculturalism, and even the creation of international treaties. However, not all of these solutions have been effective or sustainable. This forms the basis for criticism of dialogue as a technique for peacebuilding.
Opponents of dialogue claim that it may not be the most effective factor in the peacebuilding process. Some of the arguments are: it might not be effective in certain scenarios, it does not guarantee peacebuilding, the parties have to be willing for it to work and some cultural factors can hinder the ability to dialogue (Maiese, 2003). Such things can stifle collective thought which might prevent the reaching of an agreement between conflicting parties.
Groups that oppose opposition also argue that the measure breaks neutrality in war-prone regions. It however does not solve the peace problem. For instance, dialogue failed to curb the reemergence of violence in Congo, South Sudan and other warring regions in the world (Maiese, 2003). Concisely, they note that dialogue might have good intentions but fails at the promotion of sustainable peace between conflicting groups.
In conclusion, sustainable peace can only be achieved if members of the society are involved in identifying and establishing novel approaches for addressing societal challenges. Importantly, the transformative dialogue is a learning process rich in self-reflection and the urge to inquire into certain disturbing matters. The involved parties, in this case, need to be willing to address the source of their differences. One of the merits of transformative dialogue is the fact that it focuses on long-term solutions to the crisis. Thus, sustainable peace can only be created if patience is demonstrated.
References
Fortin, J. (2016). Riek Machar: South Sudan Opposition Leader Returns as Part of Peace Deal. New York Times . Retrieved from http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/world/africa/riek-machar-south-sudan-opposition-leader-returns-as-part-of-peace-keeping-deal.htr.
Maiese, M. (2003). "Peacebuilding." Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy, B. & Heidi B. Conflict Information Consortium. University of Colorado, Boulder . Retrieved from http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/peacebuilding.
UNDP. (2009). Why Dialogue Matters for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding . Retrieved from http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/crisis%20prevention/dialogue_conflict.pdf.
United States Institute of Peace (USIP). (2014). Strategic Plan 2014-2019. Making Peace Possible . Retrieved from http://www.usip.org/about-us/strategic-plan.
