How do we reconcile the memory and social trauma of wars to help communities and societies transition from cultural of violence to peace?
My mother first introduced me to the power of story-telling. She would sit me down and recite the memories of life before the civil war in Somalia. Growing up, I was deeply fascinated by her ability to remember every detail of Mogadishu before the outbreak of civil war, how her university looked, like, the national theatre, where her and friends would hang out, but the most exciting part of her story-telling were the expressions of her face and also the moment she would drift off into her own world.
Every memory and story-telling was different. However, there is a familiar pattern of how each individual would recite and hold onto their narratives of the past memories, even after a conflict may have ended.
Which links me back to mother’s way in holding onto her memories of her life before the war, the peace-full memories of the ‘golden era’ of Mogadishu, how organized and established the society was before the war. But there were also memories of trauma, grief, separation, and loss. When silence and words themselves could not be used to describe it, I could see it through her eyes and body language; that there was a deep-rooted pain lingering.
By acknowledging my own family past historical grievances and suppressed trauma, I connected the dots and identified why violence and mental health issues were a norm within my family and the wider Somali community.
It is now helping me understand the importance of localizing peace-building. While many of my family members did not have the opportunity to acknowledge the legacy of war and displacement, I feel inclined to support communities in Yemen, to acknowledge their memory and emotions in order to heal and create peace, so that they refrain from repeating the same mistakes as Somalia's peace-building
Localizing peace-building and transitional justice in Yemen,
How can conflict-affected communities begin their journey in healing and transitioning from conflict to sustainable peace? It is through the remembering, acknowledgement, and healing which will prepare communities for post-conflict reconstruction.
When we talk about peace-building or how societies emerge from conflict to peace, we often think about the institutional top-down approaches, such as formal peace processes, or the transitional justice approach of prosecution. While all of this is very much important in bringing peace, for Yemen's case the traditional top-down approach to peace-building is very much detached from the reality on the ground; from women and girls who have been inflicted with trauma and are now living with the memories of sexual gender-based violence, sons and daughters enforceable disappeared from their homes and communities- parents not knowing whether they are dead or alive and the everyday normalization of horrific violence.
In Yemen, there are communities with deep emotional, psychological trauma and feelings of mistrust, division, and anger. Therefore, by merely focusing on bringing armed groups and those responsible in conducting the war to draft up Yemen’s road map to peace, is not only a paradox to the concept of peace-building, as it fails to address the societal division, grievances and memories of trauma, but in actuality, they are sowing the seeds for Yemen’s future of protracted conflict.
Creating community initiatives and spaces for trauma healing and story-telling
Peace-building and transitional justice is not a ‘one size fit all approach. Instead of waiting for peace to establish at the top institutional level, I want us to re-shift the traditional approach, by listening, providing safe spaces to allow individuals and communities to heal, recover and envision a new future of peace.
Localizing peace-building and transitional justice approaches in Yemen will play an essential role in re-building the social fabric destroyed during the war. It is the leadership of women-led organizations in Yemen that are truly paving the way to mobilize communities in preparation for Yemen’s transitional period. - Organizing community initiatives such as; reconciliation dialogue sessions, using creative, innovative art to address societal grievances, such as gender-based violence, and promoting new social norms that support gender equality, building the capacity and leadership of grassroots women peacebuilders, leaders, and activists. Providing women's economic opportunities to those affected by the war so that they are also part of Yemen's peace building and reconstruction process . In addition to empowering youth groups and traditional leaders in becoming local peacebuilders.
Through my experience working in local communities, I see the valuable contribution of localizing peace-building in Yemen. It provides spaces to acknowledge trauma memories and offer collective solutions to the grievances and mistrust caused by the war. Allowing communities to come together to reconcile, heal and re-build social relations.
The most rewarding impact of localizing peace-building in Yemen is that women and girls displaced by the war, and survivors of gender-based violence have been able to access spaces to connect and heal with each other, restoring their dignity reintegrating them back into the society/community.
It has empowered marginalized community groups affected the most during the war to use innovative mechanisms like sports in reclaiming back public spaces such as Aden stadium and creating new memories of peace.
In every post-conflict society, memories of peace passed through generations play an essential factor in bridging the communities together. Shaping the process of healing and how one navigates and interact with each other.
Tackling the root causes of conflict and creating peace won't happen overnight. However, for many Somali elders, like my mother and father who did not have this opportunity to unpack the memory of trauma that came with the legacy of Somalia war and displacement. it is about planting the seeds and conditions that will support communities in dealing with the past and building a future together.
Localizing peace-building and transitional justice is one of the essential components for rebuilding societies. It prevents the memories of trauma, social grievances and violence from passing to next-generation, by giving space to empower communities in acknowledging the painful trauma inflicted on them to heal and recover, which is necessary for societies, and communities moving from conflict to sustainable peace.
Interesting reading. I love the idea of incorporating our parent's oral narratives of what really happened since that helps them to unpack things and come to terms with their past. Glad to read your account of bottom-up peacebuilding approaches in Yemeni context, reminded me of the Somaliland experience in making peace in the absence of external actors, local legitimacy, effective solutions.