ONE SYSTEM PROSPERITY INITIATIVE
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS & PRACTICES THROUGH SOCIOCRYPTONEERING FRAMEWORK FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE NETWORK-BASED CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION OF THE ASEAN INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WITHIN ANCESTRAL DOMAINS AND THE REST OF THE WORLD
Social Enterprise Network Indigenous Peoples (SENTRIBES) through Sociocryptoneering 4.0 platform for environmental science and technology within the framework of Indigenous Knowledge Systems & Practices
Purpose
This framework is useful for Indigenous Cultural Communities and the Indigenous Peoples experts in Social Enterprise Network (SEN) and Bartering Concept for Development (BCD) in a Resource-Based Economy as a lifeblood patterned from the Ancestral Domain ancestors and elders since time immemorial as well as for all cultural workers acting as ‘third party’ in transforming community resources and valuing Relationships that aimed to decrease transaction cost and creates prosperity; to surpass monetary system and to attain Resource-Based Economy (RBE) through a participatory process and in an innovative genre. The framework would like to show the integrated SEN and BCD approach necessary in addressing major elements of transforming enterprise-based conflict and valuing relationships, namely, TECHNOLOGY, RESOURCES, SPACE, TIME and their RELATIONS as well as the HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS within the social, the environmental, the economic, the political/structural and in the indigenous cultural context. The framework encourages the use of several existing tools in analyzing the interrelatedness of the elements of Transforming Community Resources and Valuing Relationships within its context, but also gives importance for the Social Enterprise Communities to be more innovative and creative in responding to the current trends in the modern world.
As a Transforming Community Resources and Valuing Relationships (TCR-VR) processes are not expected to be one way but a spider web-like one, the framework requires SEN & BCD indigenous practitioners and cultural workers to become reflective and enduring: indeed (TCR-VR) processes are like journey of a thousand miles which timeframe may not be certain. However, the framework would enable the SEN & BCD indigenous practitioner to identify critical issues in the Transformed Community Resources and Valued Relations and could provide ideas what issues to focus on, where to start and how to respond in order to lessen marketing and transaction and distribution costs and fully attain prosperity across the marginalized sectors of any society; to surpass monetary system and to attain Resource-Based Economy (RBE) as a system of global abundance to everyone.
This could be done by triangulating the five (5) major elements within the societal context.
TRIANGULATION OF THE FIVE (5) MAJOR ELEMENTS
The triangulation of these elements done within the social, environmental, economic, political/structural and cultural contexts may help to identify the specific issues that need to be addressed for the resolution and attainment of prosperity and lowering transaction and distribution costs at all governance levels and across the different sectors of our society.
It provides insights on the following salient points discovered by Sociocryptoneering:
1. The closer Relationship decreases transaction cost and creates prosperity
The First Internet Revolution is led by Microsoft, Amazon, Ebay and Google, Software automation and Internet networks decrease and create highest prosperity level; Internet creates a new Space and Dimension of existence and get Relationship closer.
*Apple is the number one company in the world that created an Apple Community to have relationship closer thereby exhibiting greater reduction on marketing and transaction and distribution costs by and between the buyers on B2B, B2C, and the C2C and created greater degree of prosperity level.
The Second Internet Revolution is led by Facebook and Twitter Social Networks that connect people and decrease marketing and transaction and distribution costs.
*Zynga got 100 million users in 7 weeks by acquiring customers virally on Facebook.
Human advancement and reversal can be understood through intimate relationship with greater degree of communication (Ambassador Annenberg)
a. TECHNOLOGY-SPACE RELATIONSHIP CYBERNEERING
How Technology within a particular environment exchange over Space and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors.
This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
b. SPACE-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONSHIP
How Space within a particular environment exchange over Technology and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors. This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
c. TECHNOLOGY-TIME RELATIONSHIP CRYPTONEERING (INDUSTRY 4.0)
How Technology within a particular environment exchange over Time and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors. This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
d. TIME-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONSHIP
How Time within a particular environment exchange over Technology and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors. This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
e. TECHNOLOGY-RESOURCES RELATIONSHIP
How Technology within a particular environment exchange over Resources and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors.
This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
f. RESOURCES-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONSHIP
How Resources within a particular environment exchange over Technology and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors. This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
g. RESOURCES-TIME RELATIONSHIP
How Resources within a particular environment exchange over Time and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity level within the marginalized sectors. This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
h. TIME-RESOURCES RELATIONSHIP
How Time within a particular environment exchange over Resources and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors.
This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
i. SPACE-TIME RELATIONSHIP
How Space within a particular environment exchange over Time and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors.
This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
j. TIME-SPACE RELATIONSHIP
How Time within a particular environment exchange over Space and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution cost and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors. This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular Space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
k. RESOURCE-RESOURCE RELATIONSHIP
How Resources within the particular sectoral environment exchange over Resources found on the neighboring side of the other sectoral environment and how the over-all societal context impact on decreasing marketing and transaction and distribution costs and creates greater degree and scale of prosperity within the marginalized sectors. This also gives insights on how positions, interests and needs of the Transformed Parties change over time in a particular resource-space in an enterprise- based conflict in relation to the changing context.
These then enables the Social Enterprise Networkers (SEN) and the Bartering Concept Developers (BCD) from Indigenous Cultural Communities of the Transformed Community Resources and Valued Relationships processes to determine the appropriate intervention and approach.
The intervention may entail a multi-track approach such that various actors of SE Networkers and BC Developers within IPs society may need to get involved, in order to bring transformed parties to mutual and intimate relations lessening transaction costs and results into greater degree and scale of Prosperity.
This tool shall be the instrument of policy-makers to build a global community of trust and love. The community model or a new ecological system is sustainable and most valuable because trust decreases transactions cost and create prosperity. The strategy focused to build this community shall be global alignment of faith and global alignment of economic interests. We could build a social system. This could be transformation of humanity and build a transition of government before the millennium government.
Moreover, this tool shall also serve as the Virtual Community Credit System based on sharing and collaboration and for Bartering Developers transaction cost to be at Zero level. A key for wealth transfer for our prosperity perpetuates in faith, integrity and diligence. Also, the creation of a mobile payment Credit System which is a peer-to-peer community credit system, mobile phone-based transactions and a Loyalty Card Point System without world currency exchanges.
The framework also deals with the same general elements in the Transformed Community Resources and Valued Relations (TCR-VR) processes. It provides high level Technology, scaled-rich Resources, safe Space and makes use of Time to restore strained Environmental, Social, Economic and Cultural Relationships.
Aiming at enabling the
1) TECHNOLOGY-SPACE RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging TECHNOLOGY from the Technology-Communication Industries with SPACE located from the vast areas of Ancestral Domains of the Indigenous Cultural Communities;
2) SPACE-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging SPACE located from the vast areas of Ancestral Domains of the Indigenous Cultural Communities with TECHNOLOGY from the Technology-Communication Industries;
3) TECHNOLOGY-TIME RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging TECHNOLOGY from the Technology-Communication Industries with TIME from the
Jail-Industries and the Out-of-School Youth and the Senior Citizens and all staying idle individuals within the Indigenous Cultural Communities;
4) TIME-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging TIME from the Jail-Industries and the Out-of-School Youth and the Senior Citizens and all staying idle individuals within the Indigenous Cultural Communities with TECHNOLOGY from the Technology-Communication Industries;
5) TECHNOLOGY-RESOURCES RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging TECHNOLOGY from the Technology-Communication Industries with RESOURCES from the Ancestral Domains of Indigenous Peoples;
6) RESOURCES-TECHNOLOGY RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging RESOURCES from the Ancestral Domains of Indigenous Peoples with TECHNOLOGY from the Technology-Communication Industries;
7) RESOURCES-TIME RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging RESOURCES from the Corporate Power Industries and other giant Cement and Steel Corporation with TIME from the Jail-Industries and the Out-of-School Youth and the Senior Citizens and all staying idle individuals within Indigenous Cultural Communities;
8) TIME-RESOURCES RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging TIME from the Jail-Industries and the Out-of-School Youth and the Senior Citizens within Indigenous Cultural Communities with RESOURCES from the Corporate Power Industries and other giant Cement and Steel Corporations;
9) SPACE-TIME RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging SPACE located from the vast areas of Ancestral Domains of the Indigenous Cultural Communities with TIME from the Jail-Industries and the Out-of-School Youth and the Senior Citizens and all staying idle individuals within the cities and coastal zones;
10) TME-SPACE RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging TIME from the Jail-Industries and the Out-of-School Youth and the Senior Citizens and all staying idle individuals within the cities and coastal zones with SPACE located from the vast areas of Ancestral Domains of the Indigenous Cultural Communities;
11) RESOURCE-RESOURCE RELATIONSHIP
Bartering or exchanging RESOURCE from the Saudi Arabia such as their abundance of Gasoline oil with clean water RESOURCE located within the Ancestral Domains of the Indigenous Cultural Communities (detailed concept of this relationship is written in a separate document)
The framework necessitates the Social Enterprise Networkers (SEN) and the Bartering Concept Developers from Indigenous Cultural Communities to provide the high level Technology, scaled-rich Resources, safe Space and enough Time to Transformed parties for sustainable peace and development resulting into greater magnitude and scale of Prosperity.
But, in order for this to work, the framework also presents the need for a ‘third party’ networker/developer composed of committed Social Enterprise Networkers (SEN) and the Bartering Concept Developers practitioners that could endure the long process of Transformed Community Resources and Valued Relations (TCR-VR) processes. It presents the ideal composition of a tripartite body as Networker/Developer composed of:
Government to include the representatives of the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representatives, Local Government Unit and National Government Agencies, and as legitimizing structure to the process
- Civil Society Organizations and the Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs) as an objective facilitator/s
- Representatives of and elected or selected by the affected indigenous cultural community and transformed parties to ensure ownership of the process
This framework could be utilized at any level of progression of Transforming Community Resources and Valuing Relationships. This may help prevent the escalation of degrading economy that is still in a latent stage and may also help de-escalate and resolve inflation that is already employing high level of depopulation and hunger. Approach in transforming the Community Resources and Valuing Relationships and specific tools to use may then vary depending on the level, characteristics and complexity of the (TCR-VR). However, the framework sees the need to always consider the above major elements of TCR-VR within the over-all socio-economic, structural/political and cultural contexts - both in the Analysis and in the Process stages.
Theory
The Enterprise-Based Conflict Transformation Triangle (EBCTT) framework has been developed based on the belief that it can be equated into Transforming Community Resources (TCR) and Valuing Relationships (VR) processes. The enterprise is a resource, that exhibits resource-based conflict thence equated into more complex social enterprise-based conflict so with the undeveloped Bartering Concept of the tribes is in conflicting issues, even at the community level, where the Datu or the tribal elder would transfer his land right in exchanged of wine, sardines, noodles and other basic commodities happen within a broader context and have to be approached from a holistic point of view.
This kind of framework is well articulated by John Paul Lederach in his Building Peace, Sustainable Reconciliation in a Divided Society (1997:83), where he strongly argues the need for a comprehensive approach to the transformation of conflict that addresses structural issues, social dynamics of relationship building, and the development of a supportive infrastructure for peace.
Lederach envisions in his framework a set of interrelated yet distinct components. These include structure, process, relationships, resources, and coordination. For this to work, Lederach describes conflict transformation to represent a comprehensive set of lenses for describing how conflict emerges from, evolves within, and brings about changes in the personal, relational, structural, and cultural dimensions.
Similar definition is being articulated by Herr, Robert, et.al. In Transforming Violence (1998:18):
Peace requires more than achieving a cease-fire or a political settlement. To enable people to truly live at peace with one-another, valuing one another and seeking the welfare of all, is a monumental task, especially where war and oppression have been the norm. Such peace will not be built quickly and can not only be based on changing structures. It also requires changing people. To be genuine, peace must reach into people’s basic identity structure.
The need for a comprehensive approach to social conflict is necessitated for root causes of conflicts are complex that simple categorization is inadequate as argued by Rupesinghe, et.al. in Civil Wars, Civil Peace (1998) who identifies Resource-based conflict as one of the social conflicts and defines it as a competition for economic power and access to natural resources - a form of conflict that could be seen throughout human history as described by Rupesinghe:
Throughout history, conflict and war over land, strategic routes, waterways, oils, fresh water, precious minerals and a myriad of other resources have plagued humanity. Often they come in different guises, sometimes as ethnic warfare, other times as ideological struggles, and often in circumstances of great poverty. Ironically, it is not the absolute lack of resources which breeds violence rather it is the struggle for the control of certain resources which generates the worst conflicts.
Rupesinghe, et.al. argues that the existence of social or political conflict is not in itself a cause for concern for it is often a source of creativity and change. Conflict is defined as a normal product of interaction of people having differing goals. However, in normal situation such conflict is not violent for, through time, social institutions have developed to allow for the resolution of civil conflicts. However, when violence enters the relationship, it shows a fundamental aspect of that relationship has disintegrated.
The use of violence, especially organized group violence, is symbolic of a more profound breakdown in a way people relate to each other.
For violent resource-based conflicts, both direct and structural violence can be present. Rupesinghe, et.al. define direct violence as armed hostile actions committed by a person or group and structural violence as the endemic violence that exists in the inequalities of societal structures manifested by gross power imbalances and uneven resource distribution resulting to substantial variation of people’s quality of life. But, unlike a situation of direct violence, the aggressor of structural violence is seen as intangible and faceless. In effect, structural violence points to the system that bears down on every aspect of social and public life.
Teaching Peace, Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (2003) defines that structural violence manifests itself in unequal chances in society. Unequal chances occur because some sectors of society are socially, economically and politically superior while the majority are marginalized and exist in the peripheries of society.
People may be marginalized because they are poor and have no access to livelihood and education or they belong to minority groups or are exploited by more powerful players (ex: Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao most particularly in Lanao Provinces exploited by traders and lowland Christians).
Teaching Peace (2003) described Conflicts in Mindanao as ethnic and religious in nature, rooted in perceptions of persecution or exclusion. But considered it also as mere symptoms of structural violence that grips off Philippine Society, Mindanao and the whole world.
Further, Teaching Peace (2003) also emphasizes that structural violence is maybe not about physical violence, but it also has the potential to hurt people for it may result to aggression, hostility & even war. Some are forced to take arms to protest against injustices they perceive to be done to them. As in the case of Mindanao: groups of Muslims perceive themselves to be victims because for a long time, the Philippine Government has ignored their need and has channelled all its attention to lowland Christians.
Having a faceless aggressor, conflicts attributable to structural violence then requires a more innovative and comprehensive approach to be able to analyze it well and identify its components to enable a process that would make its resolution possible.
Rupesinghe, et.al (1998:126) then advises that the decision to engage in a conflict must be based on sound criteria and analysis. The background and historical context of the conflict must be established. Underlying factors such as the geographical or environmental context, social conditions and gender issues must be analyzed.
Fisher, et.al. in Working with Conflict (2000:57) argues that the dynamic of a protracted social and political conflict is such that people join it at different moments and for different reasons.
It ends up looking much more complex, with many layers and many root causes. Even identifying and addressing the very central original cause will no longer resolve the conflict, because so many other layers of causality remain.
Mennonite Conciliation Service Mediation and Facilitation Training Manual edited by Carolyn Schrock-Shenk (2000 : 44-45) emphasizes that in order to get to the real root of many conflicts, we have to begin to think in structural terms - that not just individuals may be right or wrong, but that way societies are structures may itself be right or wrong. Effective response requires right analysis of the conflict. Without a right process and approach, analysis of a resource-based conflict may only take into consideration issues at the surface and may fail to identify the important contribution of the faceless aggressor in a structural violence that usually is the root cause of a resource conflict. As expected, superficial analysis results to surface level answer, hence, response may only bring unsustainable peace.
And since conflict is defined as a `natural phenomenon - as a natural product of social interactions’, resolution and transformation of conflict should then be done through mobilizing the very same actors and other important stakeholders of the conflict.
Conceptual Framework
The Enterprise-Based Conflict Transformation Triangle Framework
The Enterprise-Based Conflict Transformation Triangle (EBCTT) Framework hypothesized that to effectively engage in an enterprise-based conflict there are 5 important interrelated elements that have to be looked into: TECHNOLOGY, RESOURCES, SPACE, TIME, THEIR RELATIONS and HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS which interrelations within a given societal context often result to a web of conflict issues. To be able to analyze effectively the interrelations of these elements within the larger context, analysis should consider the views, perceptions, feelings and experience and of all CONFLICTING PARTIES and process could be ideally facilitated by a middle-grassroots level ‘third party’ facilitator – a combination of representatives of the Direct Stakeholders, the Indigenous Peoples Civil Society Organizations as the impartial facilitator and the (Local) Government Unit necessary to legitimize actions. Government representation is also a necessary strategy to address structural violence that is an inherent cause to the enterprise-based conflict.
Enterprise-Based Conflict Elements
ANALYZING THE EVOLUTION OF ENTERPRISE-BASED CONFLICT
TECHNOLOGY
The TECHNOLOGY element is the Physical Tool of a Resource and Space for applied indigenous knowledge system that is subject to enterprise-based inequitable and unequal sharing and having been controlled by private group in the business world. The enumerated sectors such as the Internet Information and the Internet Services Providers, and the rest of the enumerated Technology Sectors found in http://biz.yahoo.com/p/8conameu.html would never be reached-out Ancestral Domains of the Indigenous Peoples making them more deprived to innovation so with speedy disposition of technology-based services and goods.
The visualization of a Valuing Technology (VT) in conflict is important in understanding the enterprise-based conflict. Taking into view the technology-based conflict may help simplify the seemingly complex Enterprise-Based conflict. Analysis also includes the relationship of conflicting parties to the Technology in conflict with other elements across all levels.
Technology analysis may also need to consider the differing concept of techno-ownership or basis of claim of the conflicting parties and of the stakeholders.
SPACE
The SPACE element is the physical aspect of a resource-space or the vast areas of Ancestral Domains of the world’s indigenous peoples that are subject to overlapping or conflicting Claims or Use. It is the spatial context of the conflict. Its analysis shows a visual overview of the specific enterprise conflict over a resource and who are the conflict parties.
The visualization of Valuing Space (VS) in conflict is important in understanding the enterprise-based conflict. Taking into view the space-based conflict may help simplify the seemingly complex enterprise-based conflict phenomenon.
Analysis also includes the relationship of conflicting parties to the Space in conflict with other major elements at all sectoral levels.
Space analysis may also need to consider the differing concept of resource-space ownership or basis of claim of the conflicting parties and of the stakeholders and juridical persons.
RESOURCES
The RESOURCES element is the physical aspect of a space-resource that is subject to overlapping or conflicting ownerships or if not, it is unutilized and with higher transaction cost. It is the spatial context of the conflict. Its analysis shows a visual overview of the specific conflict over a space and who are the conflict parties.
The visualization of Valuing Resources (VR) in conflict is important in understanding the enterprise-based conflict phenomenon. Taking into view the resource-based conflict may help simplify the seemingly complex enterprise-based conflict. Analysis also includes the relationship of conflicting parties to the resource in conflict.
Resource analysis may also need to consider the differing concept of resource ownership or basis of claim of the conflicting parties and of the stakeholders and juridical persons.
TIME
To enable an enterprise-based transformation process, it has to consider the particular context of the conflict, how it developed, what are its causes, how it progressed. Also, any conflict which we encounter in the present has its roots in something that has happened in the past. The further away in time the root cause of the conflict is, the more there is a chance that the origin gets distorted in the memory of the people. Because of a lack of proper documentation, facts change through continuous narration and become new realities.
Looking at the history therefore is not about truth or lies, it is about the perception people have on certain events in the past happening within certain space-resource.
According to Fisher, et.al., often, groups of people in conflict have completely different experiences and perceptions: they see and understand the conflict in quite distinct ways. They often have different histories. People on opposing sides of the conflict may note or emphasize different events, describe them differently, and attach contrasting emotions to them. For this reason, Fisher, et.al, has the opinion that different events described by opposing groups are an important element in understanding the conflict.
Valuing TIME (VT) element looks at the historical events that happened over time in a certain space-resource and have contributed to the development of conflicting relations of people over particular space-resource. Its analysis could surface the factors that have contributed to the escalation or de-escalation of the enterprise-based conflict.
This would also show the historical progression of the varying interests of conflict parties over a Resource, Space, Technology, their Relations and the Human Relationships.
HUMAN RELATIONSHIP
Perceptions about an enterprise-based conflict manifest in the Valuing Relationships (VP) of the peoples. Jan Oberg states that a more complicated fact about violence as a consequence of problems and conflicts that are suppressed, ignored, or cannot be articulated. That it emerges in response to deficient “diagnosis’ and counterproductive intervention/mediation by ‘third parties” and a product of fear and frustration.
As he puts it, the commonly heard “underdog” explanation is that “we did all we could to avoid this war, we didn’t want it, but finally there was nothing else left to do”
Enterprise-Based Conflict Analysis
The RELATION element includes the issue of power relations, and the connectivity by and between the different major elements of EBCTT and Valuing Relationships (VR) and the varying positions, interests, needs and perspectives of direct and indirect stakeholders in an enterprise-based conflict phenomenon. Its analysis would result to the identification of the direct and indirect actors of conflict and the third parties that have an interest in the peaceful resolution of the conflict. This element analysis gives an overview of the multiple parties usually involved in an enterprise-based conflict.
OVER-ALL CONTEXT
Deep-rooted and long-standing animosities that are reinforced by high levels of violence and direct experiences of atrocities result to psychological and even cultural features and often drive and sustain the conflict more than substantiate issues. These dynamics have consequences. People, when threatened, seek security in narrower, more localized identity groups (this often leads to their conflicts being labelled “ethnic” or “religious”). Moreover, Peoples would separate from the fold of trust and love resulting into diversity of enterprise-based operations causing higher degree of transaction and distribution cost and lowering prosperity level within the grassroots.
Fisher, et.al, defines identity to be heavily influenced by relationships with others, and by the dominant culture. Different aspects of identity are given greater emphasis in different contexts. Religion and culture are often key elements in political movements, in what are described by Yusuf Bangura as ‘culturalist groups’ – defined to have emerged when a community sharing both religious and ethnic affinities perceived itself as a powerless and repressed minority within a state dominated by outsiders.
Fisher, et.al. (2000:149) have said that conflict, if in any sense it is more than a surface disagreement, is generally not the outcome of an isolated action or event. The main causes are inherent in the social, cultural and political composition of the society involved, and in the processes pertaining to it.
Therefore, the triangulation of the five elements such as TECHNOLOGY, RESOURCES, SPACE, TIME and their RELATIONS as well as HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS analyzed within the over-all SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, POLITICAL and INDIGENOUS CULTURAL contexts and factored in the STRUCTURAL dimension of conflict, could provide insights on how the relationship between and among people within a particular area change over time. This could also provide insights on how societal context impact to the positions, interests and needs of stakeholders on a particular major elements currently in conflict.
PARTICIPATORY AND RECONCILIATORY RESOURCE CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION PROCESS
EBCTT Framework puts forward that transformation of an enterprise-based conflicts can only be possible if it follows a process that ensures building of ‘critical thinking’ among actors or parties of the conflict as well as ‘winning their hearts’ towards its peaceful resolution.
Critical thinking here means shaping an objective view of the conflict by facilitating a process that not only enables one party to effectively express own issues to the other but encourage understanding on the interest of the other party with respect to its own.
But, ‘critical thinking’ may also result to a non-ending assertion of one’s position and interest on the conflict, if the interests and needs as well as the ‘story’ of the other party is not also well understood by the other.
A peaceful conflict resolution may not also be possible if actors of conflict do not appreciate the value of a peaceful resolution (Valuing Peace) and if they also do not clearly see its possibility.
Hence, ‘winning the hearts’ of all conflict parties towards peaceful resolution may only be possible if all conflict actors appreciates the value of a peaceful over violent means of a conflict resolution and that they realize their capacity to do it. More true to Valuing Peace (VP), increases degree of prosperity due to closer relationship and shall result into zero or lower marketing, transaction and distribution costs.
Oberg points out that in reconciliation process, nothing is probably more important than to offer people practical opportunities to build confidence, work together and see that they can gain more from not fighting each other.
To effectively facilitate a conflict transformation process towards building the ‘critical thinking’ and ‘winning the hearts’ of all conflict actors to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, it is then important to identify facts from perceptions, changing fears to hopes, thinking from “I can’t” to ”We can” and ensure ownership of the process by the actors of conflict.
PROVIDING SAFE SPACE
To succeed in an enterprise-based conflict transformation, process needs to create space for genuine responsibility, ownership and participation in Valuing Relationships.
Lederach suggests innovation in approaching the core nature of deep-rooted conflict in divided societies. To rebuild relationships, we must develop innovative ways of providing space within which the emotional and psychological aspects of the conflict can be addressed.
Providing safe space for self-expression, debates, dialogues, and revelations for all conflicting parties is considered an important aspect in the EBCTT framework. Without safe space for expression, active communication or ‘listening’ to one another may be difficult to achieve and without such successful negotiation for enterprise-based conflict resolution may not be possible.
This aims to facilitate achieving of Reconciliation defined by Lederach in Building Peace. Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies (1997): that represents a place, the point of encounter where concerns about both the past and the future can meet. Reconciliation – as-encounter suggests that space for the acknowledging of the past and envisioning of the future is the necessary ingredient for reframing the present. For this to happen, people must find ways to encounter themselves and their enemies, their hopes and their fears.
ENOUGH TIME AND RESOURCES
For EBCTT framework to work, it is then imperative that enough time and resources are provided to support the right and lengthy process with due consideration of the pace of the SEN community as well as of the other factors where facilitators don’t have control.
As John Paul Lederach points out in “The Journey Toward Reconciliation”, We Need Time. That Reconciliation must be cautious about quick formulas of “forgiveness” and being “nice” to each other.
Well-intentioned people may advise estranged parties to quickly forgive and forget. Yet those parties may need a long time and geographical separation for healing to occur. ...Recent history shows that there are no magic wands or formulas that can be applied to the healing and rebuilding of societies moving from war to peace.
Enterprise-Based Conflict Transformation Process
Lederach emphasizes as well that without adequate resources, explicit preparation, and commitment over time, peace will remain distant ideal rather than a practical goal. The primary goal with regard to resources is to find ways to support, implement, and sustain the building of an infrastructure for peace over the long term. Lederach suggests that the question on resources for peace should be approached under two broad headings: Socioeconomic and sociocultural. Resource as socio-economic would mean involving the monetary aspect, but that equally critical is the sociological dimension in the disbursement of funds. The sociocultural dimension suggests that people and their various cultural traditions for building peace are also primary resources.
Lederach further emphasized that Strategic Commitment is connected to an understanding of the complexity and long-term nature of the peacebuilding enterprise. In light of this, efforts must be made to foster a deeper understanding of the broader evolution of conflict, and associated with that, of the multiple peacebuilding functions and activities that are required to constructively transform the conflict over an extended period.
CREATIVE AND TRUST-BUILDING PROCESS
EBCTT framework also believes that relationship is the basis of both the conflict and its long-term solution. Lederach argues that in working for reconciliation, it must engage its relational aspects as the central component of Valuing Relationship. But it should be noted that parties with a history of violent and intense conflict have many reasons to mistrust each other, and so developing working trust is a slow process built upon many mutually reassuring steps.
A fundamental question is how to create a catalyst for reconciliation and then sustain it in divided societies. Reconciliation is not pursued by seeking innovative ways to disengage or minimize the conflicting group’s affiliations, but instead is built on mechanisms that engage the sides of a conflict with each other as human in-relationship.
Fisher, et.al. (2000:112) have clearly explains the need for trust building for conflict transformation to succeed: Following a period of intense conflict, during which there may have been a lot of violence and suffering, it is difficult for members of opposing groups to trust each other. Negotiations may have brought about some kind of agreement, but the opposing sides will have learned to fear and distrust each other.
They will, in fact, be more distrustful of each other than of strangers. It will be a very long time before each side can be convinced that the attitude of the other has changed: change in attitude can only be trusted if there is consistent pattern of changed behaviours.
Working trust is also further defined by Mica Estrada-Hollenback in Reconciliation, Justice and Coexistence, edited by Abu-Nimer (2001:69) “To resolve”, of course, is to do more than stop the violence. To resolve is to leave the conflicted parties with institutions and attitudes that favour peaceful interactions.
This sort of resolution also requires the establishment of working trust. Working trust refers to a level of trust that enables parties to participate (sometimes cautiously) in problem-solving activities such as negotiations or mediations. Kelman (1993a) describes it as “a trust sufficient to allow them [the parties] to proceed with the coalition work of joint analysis, interactive problem solving and planning implementation.
Conflict transformation process therefore needs to be sensitive enough to sustain the confidence of the conflicting parties and the affected community to the process and to eventually gain their trust not only to the process and the facilitators but to one another as well. This needs to employ a variety of interrelated activities such as dialogues, rituals, problem-solving workshops, role plays, mediation, including shuttle mediation, among others.
The process has to be sensitive and creative enough that while processes would surface Truth about the conflict as would be expected as to be desired by parties and may polarize them further, but challenge would be on how motivate compassion and acceptance and encourage conflict parties to have Mercy to each other and while process works for Justice but that it should not also forget its aim for restoring strained relations and actions and decisions motivated by the desire for Peace.
THIRD PARTY
Rupensinghe (1998:128) emphasizes that facilitators of conflict transformation should be by those people who can guide and drive a communications or negotiations process forward. Facilitators should have a thorough knowledge of the conflict and strong analytical and mediation skills.
Lederach suggests that the nature of contemporary conflict requires the development of theories and praxis of the “middle range”. He proposed that middle-range actors within the population are uniquely situated to have the greatest potential for constructing and infrastructure for peace. They have the capacity to impact processes and people at both the top and the grassroots levels. If mobilized strategically for Valuing Relationship, middle-range leaders could lay the foundation for long-term, sustainable conflict transformation.
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